Katy Perry is getting ready to take a rocket flight into space in a history-making trip next Monday (April 14). And yes, she is actually doing it.
In February, Katy Perry announced that she would be one of the passengers on Jeff Bezos’ space tourism company Blue Origin’s spacecraft New Shepard.
The American singer has always wanted to travel and so it seems space is the next best place to go. She will be heading in the rocket with five other women for a history-making trip. So, here is everything to know.
Is Katy Perry actually going to space?
Katy Perry is actually taking part in the trip. She confirmed the news on her Instagram.
She wrote: “If you had told me that I would be part of the first ever all-female crew in space, I would have believed you.
“Nothing was beyond my imagination as a child. Although we didn’t grow up with much, I never stopped looking at the world with hopeful wonder. I work hard to live my life that way still and I am motivated more than ever to be an example for my daughter that women should take up space.”
What does the trip include and how long is it for?
Shockingly, the Roar singer will not be in space for very long. In fact, the trip will only take 11 minutes. Then she will be back to earth. But while she is up there, she will have the opportunity to float around the rocket for several minutes.
The rocket is expected to reach a height of 65 miles above the Earth. The Karman line – which is considered the boundary between the Earth’s atmosphere and outer space – is 62 miles. So, while she will be over the boundary, it won’t be by that many miles.
How is Katy Perry getting to space in a rocket?
The mum of one teamed up with the Blue Origin company to accompany them to space.
The flight is expected to be their 31st overall and 11th suborbital flight with human beings onboard. So far, the company has launched 52 people above the Earth’s atmosphere – 330,000 feet above sea level.
However, the biggest difference about this trip is that it is an all-female crew since 1963 when Valentina Tereshkova headed on a solo trip to be the first woman in space.
Who is going with Katy Perry on the space flight?
It’s a girls’ trip. Accompanying Katy is broadcast journalist Gayle King and activist Amanda Nguyen.
Also taking part on the trip is movie producer Kerianne Flynn and entertainment reporter Lauren Sanchez.
But don’t worry, the final passenger is Aisha Bowe, an aerospace engineer who previously worked at NASA. So, hopefully she knows the drill on how to ensure everything runs smoothly.
When is it happening?
The space flight rocket will liftoff at Launch Site One in West Texas on Monday April 14.
It is expected to happen around 8.30am Central Time in America, which is roughly 1.30pm in the UK on the same day.
How are they prepping for the trip?
The girls are heading to a training camp in Texas only a few days before the trip for the final training sessions.
It’s believed they will focus on ensuring their flight suits are fitted and they are acclimated to the rocket they will fly on. During training they will walk into a fully replicated space rocket and see where they are sitting.
Then, they will be guided on what they will feel and hear and most importantly where the oxygen masks are and how they’ll communicate with Earth.
Family reaction
Speaking to Elle about the trip, Katy admitted her four year daughter is “so excited” for her to go to space.
She said: “My daughter is so excited. She thinks she is going with me and she thinks that the rocket is pink. But so many little girls are going to see themselves in one of us, hopefully.”
Is Katy Perry cancelling her tour?
No, Katy Perry is very much still rehearsing for her tour. The trip to space is actually coming in between her rehearsals.
And, thanks to it being so short, she will be back in time for her Lifetimes Tour to kick off in Mexico on April 23.
It sounds like a very exciting 11 minutes for Katy Perry!
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