On April 14, history was made as an all-women’s flight to space successfully launched. On this ship was a group of civilians, including Katy Perry, Amanda Nguyen, Gayle King and other remarkable women.
I think it’s a great day in women’s history, showing that women can dedicate their lives to science and exploration. Many of those on board have worked with NASA.
Amanda Nguyen’s story is especially inspirational. She has been open about her sexual assault while she was at Harvard, which led her to become a civil rights leader. She drafted the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights, was named one of TIME’s Women of the Year in 2022 and was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.
In many countries around the world, women still aren’t allowed to move freely, can’t earn an education and often have their opinions dismissed. I think this launch shines a light on the fact that women are just as capable of taking on high-risk challenges.
I also think civilian space flights are really interesting. This group went up with Blue Origin, which is run by Jeff Bezos. That does make it feel a bit suspicious, especially given the controversy surrounding how he treats Amazon workers.
Still, putting the company aside, it’s undeniably inspiring for women’s rights. Girls all over the world can see a diverse group of women—of different ages, ethnicities, and careers—doing something extraordinary. It spreads a strong message, and I hope more girls will be inspired to pursue STEM because of it.
