Overview

• Blue Origin's NS-31 mission, featuring an all-female crew including Katy Perry and Lauren Sánchez, reached 62 miles above Earth in an 11-minute automated flight.
• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated the crew does not qualify as astronauts under FAA guidelines due to the absence of in-flight activities essential to public or human spaceflight safety.
• The FAA's 2021 criteria require both surpassing 50 miles in altitude and performing safety-critical activities during the flight to earn the astronaut designation.
• Blue Origin has referred to the participants as astronauts in public statements, but neither the company nor the crew has responded to Duffy’s remarks as of April 18, 2025.
• The mission has sparked mixed reactions, with some praising its symbolism for diversity in STEM and others criticizing its environmental impact and perceived lack of substantive scientific value.