Blue Origin’s NS-28 carries the 100th woman into space and makes a safe landing

Emily Calandrelli, a STEM education advocate and aerospace engineer, made history on November 22, 2024, as the 100th woman to travel to space. The flight, carried by Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, took off and landed at the company’s West Texas facility. This suborbital journey carried six civilian passengers and reached a peak altitude of 66 miles (106 kilometers), crossing the Kármán line, considered the frontier of space.

Significance of Calandrelli’s flight

The ten-minute mission aboard Blue Origin’s NS-28 included approximately four minutes of weightlessness. It was Blue Origin’s ninth human spaceflight, with Calandrelli being joined by Marc and Sharon Hagle, a couple on their second Blue Origin mission; Austin Litteral, whose participation was sponsored by Whatnot, a livestream shopping platform; JD Russell, a former game warden and entrepreneur; and Hank Wolfond, CEO of a Canadian investment firm.

Emily Calandrelli, known online as “The Space Gal,” expressed her lifelong ambition to inspire young women in STEM fields. Her journey, she said, was the culmination of years of study in aerospace engineering and its mission to provide representation for girls in science and technology. Among her personal items was a photo montage of the 99 women who flew before her, in recognition of their contribution to paving the way.

Looking back on the experience, Calandrelli described the view from space as deeply moving, likening its emotional intensity to the birth of her children. The mission’s logo included a figure in a pink jumpsuit to symbolize her achievement, further emphasizing her role as a STEM advocate.

Notable aspects of the flight

Blue Origin’s reusable ‘RSS First Step’ spacecraft returned the crew safely to Earth following the booster’s engine-assisted vertical landing. The flight builds on Blue Origin’s efforts to expand civilian access to space. Calandrelli’s achievement also places her among the 714 individuals who have reached space, as recorded by the Association of Space Explorers.

The cost of Calandrelli’s seat was funded through multiple sponsors, making her participation possible while providing opportunities to promote STEM education. This historic flight marks an important step in the representation of women in space exploration.