Lauren Sanchez to lead all-women space crew in 2024 aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket

Lauren Sanchez says she is planning to take part in an all-women space flight in early 2024 aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket.

The 53-year-old award-winning TV journalist and helicopter pilot told the Wall Street Journal in an interview that she is “super excited” to lead five other women for the upcoming mission. 

“It’s going to be women who are making a difference in the world and who are impactful and have a message to send,” she said. The other participants are expected to be revealed closer to the expected launch date. 

Sanchez also told the Journal that her boyfriend, Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, won’t be joining them. Bezos launched on a space flight of his own in July 2021. Their relationship was made public in January 2019.

“As much as he wants to go on this flight, I’m going to have to hold him back, he’ll be cheering us all on from the sidelines.” she said. “I’ve wanted to be in the rocket from the jump, so [Bezos] is excited to make this happen with all of these women.”

So far, Blue Origin has launched six flights with passengers aboard on short up-and-down trips to the edge of space. 

In September, an uncrewed Blue Origin New Shepard spacecraft suffered an unplanned separation from the rocket booster, causing a fiery explosion. The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded all future Blue Origin launches until their investigation is completed.