Would you accept a flight into space to see the thin, fragile atmosphere of this beautiful planet for even a few minutes?
Blue Origin launched an all-female crew into space today. It was the ‘first time’ that it was only women venturing above the Karman line. The flight has generated a lot of media interest and debate about its value.
How about some history about these all-female flights? I was part of NASA blue ribbon panel in the late 1990’s which analyzed the impact of an all-female flight on space exploration. We examined the contributions to research and understanding how the body adapts in space which begins quite quickly. We evaluated the data, the pros and cons including push back about it being a publicity event, and the risk to the space program if there was mishap. In the end, we decided against doing it and advocated for more female astronauts to fly on more flights to enable more data to be collected.
Not everyone was happy about this decision.
Now let’s look at 2025 and the commercial space program. Today, the flight inspired women and girls around the world to believe that they can also reach for the stars. Each explorer is a storyteller with a unique journey. Yes, there was probably more publicity because of the “herstoric” flight and the celebrities on board. But is that a bad thing? For a few minutes today, we focused on dreams and conquering fears and teamwork.
Blue Origin, as does many in the commercial space sector, makes it look easy to break the bounds of gravity, but thousands of people and the past experiences of our astronauts have made it possible. This flight will also contribute to this rich legacy.
They broke through the Karman line and the invisible glass ceiling.
