Gayle King Opens Up About Traveling To Space Next Month — She Says ‘Be Happy For Me’ As She Prepares For Historic All-Female Flight

Gayle King is out here making history — and she wants y’all to celebrate her, not stress her out.

The “CBS Mornings” co-host is officially headed to space next month with Blue Origin, and this flight ain’t just any mission — it’s one for the history books. As reported earlier on Hollywood Unlocked, the media icon is set to join the first all-female flight crew on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, a moment that hasn’t happened since 1963.

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King will be riding alongside some major women making moves: pop superstar Katy Perry, trailblazing journalist and philanthropist Lauren Sánchez, ex-NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights leader Amanda Nguyen, and Hollywood producer Kerianne Flynn.

This is Blue Origin’s 11th human flight and will be the first all-woman crewed mission since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova flew solo into space over 60 years ago.

Gayle King’s Message To Her Supporters: ‘Be Happy For Me’

While she’s known for asking the tough questions on live TV, Gayle is now in the hot seat herself — and she’s being real about the mix of nerves and excitement. On Thursday’s episode of “CBS Mornings,” she got candid about her upcoming space mission:

“I made no secret in the fact that I’m very nervous but also very excited. I only ask people when you see me on the street please don’t tell me not to go please don’t tell me what the hell am I thinking. I just want people to cheer me on and be happy for me in this moment.”

And honestly, can you blame her? Stepping outside of Earth’s atmosphere ain’t a small move — but Gayle’s doing it with grace, courage, and some serious Black Girl Magic.

This Isn’t Just A Flight — It’s A Cultural Moment

We’re talking about six powerhouse women launching into space together — all from different industries, different backgrounds, and all setting an example for future generations.

Flights on the New Shepard rocket, which is fully reusable, only last around 10 minutes. But within that short span, passengers reach over 62 miles above Earth, officially entering space.

That may not seem like much next to astronauts who hit 250 miles aboard the ISS, but for civilians, this is the edge of possibility — and Gayle is walking that line with pride.

Other Famous Faces Who’ve Blasted Off On Blue Origin

Gayle King is joining a growing list of icons who’ve left Earth thanks to Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin.

William Shatner – Yep, Captain Kirk himself flew in 2021.
Michael Strahan – The “Good Morning America” host made his space debut that same year.
Edward Dwight – In 2024, he finally got his chance at 90 years old — after being denied the opportunity as the first Black astronaut over 60 years ago.
And now? Gayle King’s name is officially added to that list, breaking barriers and making sure Black women are part of this next era in space exploration.