Amanda Nguyen: 'Look at the moon' heard as all-female Blue Origin flight lifts off to space, how to watch

The suborbital flight was launched on Monday, April 14, at 8.30am CDT (2.30pm BST) from Blue Origin's Launch Site One in West Texas.​

The NS-31 mission marks Blue Origin's 11th human flight and the first all-female crewed spaceflight since 1963. The six-member crew includes Nguyen, Perry, journalist and co-host of CBS Mornings Gayle King, journalist and pilot Lauren Sánchez who is also the fiancee of Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos, aerospace engineer and former NASA rocket scientist​ , Aisha Bowe and film producer and philanthropist, Kerianne Flynn.

The flight lasted just over 10 minutes as the capsule descended back to Earth, landing in the West Texas desert.

Who is Amanda Nguyen?

Born in California, 33-year-old Nguyen is a Harvard University graduate, and the founder and CEO of Rise, a civil rights organisation advocating for survivors of sexual assault. She played a pivotal role in drafting and passing the Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act, which was signed into US law in 2016. Nguyen was nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize and recognised as one of Time's Women of the Year in 2022.

In addition to her advocacy work, Nguyen has a background in science, having interned at NASA and conducted research at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. She has also been involved in bioastronautics research, focusing on women's health in space. ​

Nguyen views this mission as a symbol of hope and representation. She said: "I may be the first, but I won't be the last," she stated, expressing her desire to inspire others, especially Southeast Asian girls, to pursue their dreams. She added: "This spaceflight means I get to honour who I was before I became a rape survivor.”

The launch will be broadcast live on Blue Origin's official website and other major news outlets. Coverage is expected to begin approximately 15 minutes before liftoff. ​