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PROTECT YOUR DNA WITH QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY
Orgo-Life the new way to the future Advertising by AdpathwayGayle King, Katy Perry and Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sanchez are set to blast off into space for a historic launch with the Amazon CEO’s Blue Origin craft this spring.
By Tionah Lee Feb 27, 2025 3:42 PM | Updated 23 minutes ago
Oprah Winfrey Apologizes For Nearly Giving Gayle King "a Heart Attack" at Surprise Birthday Party
Gayle King’s latest assignment is out of this world.
The veteran journalist announced that she is one of the women set to embark on Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission to space. Gayle, 70, will be part of the all-women crew with Katy Perry, Lauren Sánchez—who assembled the team taking flight—former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen and film producer Kerianne Flynn.
For the mission, set for some time this spring, the women will travel 62 miles above the earth to the Kármán line—the spot that separates the planet's atmosphere from space—adding to the very small number of people who have had that experience.
After years of covering other people’s extraordinary journeys, Gayle admitted she is nervous to be embarking on her own.
"I'm so afraid,” Gayle said during the announcement on CBS Mornings Feb. 27. “But I'm also so excited about it. I don't know how to explain being terrified and excited at the same time. It's like how I felt about to deliver a baby.”
She revealed that she was approached for the mission in November and decided ahead of her milestone 70th birthday the following month that she was going to take a leap of faith and try something new.
"This was never my dream,” Gayle explained. “And somebody said, ‘Maybe you need to have new dreams, Gayle.’ I had a big birthday, and I thought I wanted to open myself up to new adventures.”
But before agreeing to embark on the mission, Gayle consulted with the three most important people in her life: her children Kirby Bumpus and Will Bumpus and best friend, Oprah Winfrey.
"Once Kirby and Will and Oprah was fine with it, I was fine," Gayle—who divorced ex William Bumpus in 1993—shared. "I thought Oprah would say no, no. She said, 'I think if you don't do it, when they all come back and you had the opportunity to do it, you will be kicking yourself.' She's right."
And Gayle is excited about the women who will embark on the journey alongside her and has good faith about the trip.
“These women are so badass," Gayle shared. "They have such amazing life stories. I believe in Blue Origin, what they're doing. I am really excited and actually looking forward to it."
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