Bezos's giant leap for self-publicity

A pop star, a TV host and a billionaire's fiancée walk into a private rocket ship.

- Sarah Manavis

The pop star turns to the others and asks:

"Is this what feminism looks like?"

According to the space technology company Blue Origin, owned and founded by the Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos, the answer seems to be a resounding yes.

Blue Origin announced last Thursday it would be launching the first-ever all-female commercial flight to space with a crew of astronauts including singer Katy Perry, the morning news host Gayle King and Bezos's own partner, the journalist Lauren Sánchez, who reportedly organised the mission, which will happen sometime this spring.

Also on the all-female mission will be the film producer Kerianne Flynn and the former Nasa scientist Aisha Bowe, as well as Amanda Nguyen, an entrepreneur and sexual-assault activist, who the company suggests will boost the flight's social progress plaudits.

"As the first Vietnamese and south-east Asian woman astronaut, Amanda's flight is a symbol of reconciliation between the US and Vietnam, and will highlight science as a tool for peace," the company said in its announcement.

As well as it being the first all-female commercial space flight, Blue Origin emphasised this will be the first all-female mission into space full stop in more than 60 years.