Gayle King Kisses the Ground After 10-Minute Space Flight With Katy Perry, Lauren Sánchez & More
When Gayle King returned to Earth after an eight-minute suborbital trip to the edge of space, she did what only a seasoned broadcaster of the highest order would do: she kissed the ground. The CBS Mornings host had just made history aboard Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission, the first all-female crewed flight since 1963. And while the flight barely scraped the 10-minute mark, King made sure the moment felt as epic as possible.
Gayle’s gratitude, humor, and flair for the dramatic defined the tone of the mission’s return. But the significance of the NS-31 flight reached far beyond her literal kiss with Earth. This wasn’t just a celebrity stunt or a PR gimmick—it was a mission decades in the making, featuring six powerhouse women from radically different industries.
Gayle King’s Grounded Moment in the Stars
For Gayle King, touching the edge of space was emotional—but returning safely to Earth was spiritual. The CBS Mornings co-anchor, celebrated journalist, and commercial astronaut made headlines when she dramatically kissed the ground after completing Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission. Though the historic all-female spaceflight lasted just under ten minutes, King’s gratitude was larger than life. Her ground kiss—equal parts humorous, heartfelt, and wholly Gayle—was a moment of reverence that captured the sheer magnitude of the experience. “I kissed the Earth like I birthed it,” she later joked on air, summing up the euphoria and sheer relief of surviving the unknown.
As one of the first female journalists to ever fly into space—alongside fellow journalist Lauren Sánchez—King continues to break barriers more than four decades into her storied career. The 69-year-old icon, named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2019, began her media journey as a production assistant at WJZ-TV in Baltimore, where she first met Oprah Winfrey. From early anchor gigs in Kansas City and Connecticut to her nationally recognized role at CBS News and the Oprah Winfrey Network, King has remained a symbol of grace, honesty, and staying power in American media.
A Leading Media Woman
Her inclusion on this historic mission is not just a reflection of her journalistic excellence, but of her public service. From holding the powerful accountable in interviews to navigating difficult conversations with empathy, King has shown the kind of curiosity and bravery that define great explorers—on Earth or in orbit. She’s also the only person on the NS-31 crew who hosts two national shows—CBS Mornings and CNN’s King Charles with Charles Barkley—proving her orbit extends well beyond television screens.
King’s exuberant post-flight display wasn’t just for show—it was a message. In a world where commercial space travel is still new and uncertain, her emotion served as an anchor for the audience watching from home. It reminded viewers that while we may be pushing toward the stars, Earth—and the people who keep us grounded—are still what matter most.
Katy Perry Sang Her Way Through Space
Joining Gayle on the rocket was pop icon and global superstar Katy Perry, who, according to King, kept everyone calm by singing during the flight. “Leave it to Katy to give us a soundtrack for space,” Gayle joked.
Perry, one of the best-selling musical artists of all time, has long been known for her chart-topping hits like “Roar,” “Teenage Dream,” and “Firework.” But during this ride, her voice helped steady nerves. Her presence was also a nod to her ongoing influence on pop culture—this was the same woman who performed at presidential inaugurations, sold over 143 million records, and served as a judge on American Idol for nearly a decade.
The Women Behind The Historic Flight
In addition to Gayle and Katy, the line up of women on this flight speaks volumes. Lauren Sánchez, a journalist, author, and philanthropist, also took her seat on NS-31. As the fiancée of Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, Sánchez was no stranger to space chatter. But this trip marked her personal leap into history.
A licensed pilot and founder of Black Ops Aviation, Sánchez was also the first female journalist alongside King to fly to space. With a background as a former co-host of Fox’s Good Day L.A. and frequent contributor to major TV news shows, she brought more than a little broadcast polish to the ride. Her debut children’s book, The Fly Who Flew to Space, suddenly felt prophetic.
Amanda Nguyen: Activist Turned Astronaut
Civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen boarded NS-31 as the first Vietnam-born woman to ever travel into space. But long before donning a spacesuit, Nguyen had already made an intergalactic impact on Earth.
As the founder and CEO of Rise, a civil rights nonprofit, Nguyen is best known for drafting the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Rights Act, which passed unanimously through U.S. Congress. A Nobel Peace Prize nominee and Time Woman of the Year, she has also fought to stop anti-Asian hate and remains a vocal advocate for equity, justice, and inclusion. Her journey into orbit was a natural extension of her lifelong mission to break barriers.
Aisha Bowe: Rocket Scientist, CEO, Role Model
Also aboard was Aisha Bowe, a Bahamian-American aerospace engineer who once worked at NASA. Bowe is the founder and CEO of STEMBoard, an engineering firm, and LINGO, an educational tech company designed to make STEM more accessible.
Her resume boasts awards like the NASA Equal Employment Opportunity Medal and Black Business Leader honors. For Bowe, NS-31 wasn’t just about making it to space—it was about showing young Black and Brown girls they could, too. Her presence on the flight offered tangible proof that tech, science, and leadership aren’t just for the privileged few.
Kerianne Flynn: From Films to the Final Frontier
Kerianne Flynn may not be a household name yet, but the acclaimed indie film producer is no stranger to storytelling. With credits on projects like The Automatic Hate, This Changes Everything, and Lilly, Flynn brought an artistic eye to the crew.
Her presence added a fresh dynamic—representing the creatives who shape how we understand science, culture, and transformation. Flynn joined the historic mission not just to witness space, but to help interpret it for the rest of us.
Why This Flight Mattered
NS-31 wasn’t the first time Blue Origin sent people to space, but it was the first time the entire crew identified as female. This marks a major milestone in space exploration. The last time a woman led a solo mission to space was in 1963, when Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova orbited Earth for three days. In contrast, NS-31’s eight-minute journey may seem modest—but its symbolism couldn’t be louder.
The flight redefined who gets to be seen as an astronaut. It centered the voices of women who shape music, media, STEM, policy, and pop culture—and sent them beyond our atmosphere. It also challenged outdated notions of who is fit for space travel, showing that brains, bravery, and brilliance come in many forms.
The Future of Inclusive Space Travel
As private space travel grows, NS-31 becomes a cultural touchstone. It opened the door for broader representation, sparked curiosity, and showed how space tourism can be more than just billionaires in orbit.
With Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin pushing commercial exploration, it’s likely this won’t be the last historic lineup. But few flights will have the layered symbolism of this one. Gayle King’s dramatic kiss to the ground was more than a meme—it was a mic-drop moment for a mission that redefined what it means to reach for the stars.
