The crew of the Blue Origin mission while in space on Monday, April 14. Photo:
Blue Origin
Gayle King and Lauren Sánchez are back on solid ground — and they’re reflecting on their trip to space as well as the criticism surrounding it.
Following the Blue Origin’s approximately 11-minute round-trip expedition to the edge of space on Monday, April 14, Blue Origin’s first all-female flight crew — which also includes Katy Perry, rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen and film producer Kerianne Flynn — caught up with reporters during a press conference about their experience shortly after they returned on a New Shepard rocket.
Asked by PEOPLE to respond to the criticism about the flight — which actress Olivia Munn voiced earlier this month on the April 3 episode of Today With Jenna and Friends — King said that in her eyes, “anybody that’s criticizing it doesn’t really understand what is happening here.”
“We can all speak to the response we’re getting from young women from young girls about what this represents,” added the journalist.
Sánchez, the fiancée of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, then added her thoughts, saying, “I get really fired up.”
“I would love to have them come to Blue Origin and see the thousands of employees that don’t just work here but they put their heart and soul into this vehicle,” she said. “They love their work and they love the mission and it’s a big deal for them.”
“So when we hear comments like that, I just say, ‘Trust me. Come with me. I’ll show you what this is about, and it’s, it’s really eye-opening,’ ” she continued.
The crew of the Blue Origin mission. X ACCOUNT OF BLUE ORIGIN/AFP via Getty
During her television appearance earlier this month, Munn, a former Newsroom star, said that although it “probably isn’t the cool thing to say,” she just felt like “there are so many other things that are so important in the world right now.”
“What’s the point? Is it historic that you guys are going on a ride? I think it’s a bit gluttonous,” she added, according to Page Six. “Space exploration was to further our knowledge and to help mankind. What are they gonna do up there that has made it better for us down here?”
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During Monday’s press conference, Bowe noted that she wished “those who are criticizing the mission could read the messages in my inbox.”
“When I decided that I was going to pursue aerospace engineering, it was after my high school guidance counselor told me that I should pursue cosmetology because she did not think that I would be suited for this field,” she said. “I went from pre-algebra in community college to two degrees in aerospace engineering to working for NASA to being able to sit on the stage and say it is bigger than the criticism.”
“Any other questions?” King playfully added.
During the press conference, viewers also got to see a clip of the group while they were in space, which included Perry bringing a small daisy with her, a sweet nod to her daughter.
As they came back down to Earth, Perry also sang a few bars of “What a Wonderful World” — and during the press conference, Perry said that “wasn’t sure” if she was going to sing at all, but that she “did come around” to it.
“It was so beautiful,” added King, who said the song was the perfect choice.
As previously reported, the mission departed from West Texas on Monday, marking both the 11th mission in Blue Origin’s New Shepard program and the 31st in its overall history.
The space flight was the first all-female crew since 1963, when Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova flew solo.
After members of the crew were first announced on Feb. 7, Blue Origin credited Sánchez with bringing the mission to life.
“She is honored to lead a team of explorers on a mission that will challenge their perspectives of Earth, empower them to share their own stories, and create lasting impact that will inspire generations to come,” the company wrote via a press release.
