Moment Jeff Bezos faceplants into dirt while trying to greet fiancée and crew after Blue Origin space flight
Jeff Bezos tumbled into the dirt while attempting to welcome his fiancée and the all-female crew following the Blue Origin space journey. The founder of Amazon and Blue Origin became overly enthusiastic when greeting the team and his partner, Lauren Sánchez, after they safely returned to Earth on Monday morning (April 14).
The groundbreaking launch included Sánchez alongside five notable women: pop vocalist Katy Perry, ex-NASA rocket expert Aisha Bowe, documentary creator Kerianne Flynn, human rights campaigner Amanda Nguyễn, and news personality and CBS Mornings host Gayle King, who all ventured into space for 11 minutes.
The vessel took off from Launch Site One in West Texas at 10am EDT. A broadcast of their Texas desert landing caught the funny moment when the 61-year-old Bezos lost his balance and fell forward while eagerly approaching the crew.
The second richest person globally was then seen rejoicing with the journalist, who revealed their engagement in May 2023, as she exited the capsule. Sánchez embraced her family members who waited with Bezos at the touchdown area after this touching exchange.
"I cannot describe it properly. We saw the Moon!" she remarked after landing with tears flowing. "Earth appeared so peaceful... It's beyond words."
Her journey follows Bezos's participation in Blue Origin's initial space tourism flight. He had told his partner that this experience, which marked the company's 11th human mission for its New Shepard program, would transform her life.
The group traveled approximately 62 miles above Earth, just beyond the Karman Line, considered the edge of outer space. They experienced weightlessness inside the capsule for three minutes.
This flight represented the first fully female crew to enter space since Valentina Tereshkova's solo orbit for the Soviet Union in 1963, allowing them to view the vast emptiness as well as Earth and the Moon.
Perry stated she would "100 percent" compose a song about the adventure. The "Hot N Cold" singer, who reportedly performed "What a Wonderful Life" during descent, stated: "I feel deeply connected to love."
The performer brought a daisy flower aboard, honoring her daughter Daisy, explaining: "Daisies are ordinary flowers but grow in any environment. They push through concrete, cracks, barriers. They show resilience, strength, and exist everywhere."
The vocalist also mentioned being moved by an unexpected coincidence regarding the capsule's name before takeoff. She explained her mother calls her by the nickname "Tortoise," which matches the capsule's name, along with "Feather" which was displayed on the front of the vessel.
Jared Isaacman, a wealthy technology CEO and President Donald Trump's selection to head NASA, offered his congratulations to the crew on Twitter. He wrote: "Congratulations to Blue Origin and the NS-31 crew. Making this amazing frontier available from the few to the many represents the dream."
The New York Post reports that Blue Origin does not reveal the cost of space journeys, but a position on its inaugural flight sold for $28 million at auction.
