Rocket Scientist Aisha Bowe Shares Her Space-Bound Soundtrack in Honor of Historic Blue Origin Flight
On Monday, April 14, Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission lifted off from Launch Site One in West Texas. This marked the 11th human flight for the New Shepard program and the 31st in its history. Notably, it was also the first all-female flight crew since Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo spaceflight in 1963.
The team included former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyễn, CBS Mornings cohost Gayle King, pop star Katy Perry, filmmaker Kerianne Flynn, and journalist and pilot Lauren Sánchez, who brought the mission together.
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In honor of this momentous occasion, we asked Aisha to curate a special Spotify playlist, Lift Off & Let Go. Read on to hear from the entrepreneur and global STEM advocate about the historic mission, her vision for a more inclusive space industry, and the power of music to fuel your dreams.
First of all, congratulations! How does it feel to be part of the first all-female flight crew in the U.S.?
It’s empowering, humbling, and honestly about time. We’re women from wildly different backgrounds—film, activism, journalism, music—all bringing our full selves to this moment. And while it’s historic, it also feels natural, like this is exactly how it should be.
You’re a former NASA rocket scientist. What has it been like to share this experience with people outside the space industry?
Space is bold, fun, and for everyone. We often think of space in the realm of fiction, like Star Trek—that wild, inclusive, futuristic vision. Well, that future is now. One of the best parts of this journey has been sharing it with people outside the space industry, because the next wave of space travelers won’t just come from labs or launchpads. They’ll come from classrooms, coffee shops, creative studios, and neighborhoods just like yours.
How did music help you prepare for this flight?
Music fueled my training, hyping me up for the fighter jet flights, the high G-force simulations, and yes, even the skydives. Preparing for space isn’t just physical, it’s emotional and mental. Music helped me get in the zone, stay grounded, and keep moving forward, even when things felt intense.
And now future space travelers can be inspired by your Spotify playlist. What did you have in mind when selecting these songs?
My picks range from my go-to classics to new high-energy sounds that get the adrenaline going. It features some of my favorite badass, trailblazing women, like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Chappell Roan—and of course I’ve got my crewmate Katy Perry on there! It’s a mix of motivation, confidence, and pure vibe, because sometimes the right song is exactly what you need to push through and show up strong.
Ultimately, I wanted this playlist to feel like a liftoff. Every track was chosen to reflect a part of the journey to launch. These are songs that motivate, center, and energize. It’s a mix of confidence, legacy, and joy. Some songs remind me of where I started. Others push me to imagine what’s possible. But together, they tell a story of movement, of rising up. Whether you’re prepping for your own mission or just trying to power through your day, I hope this playlist reminds you that you’re capable of so much more than you think. This is the soundtrack to that moment when you decide to go for it.
Last question: If this flight had one theme song, what would it be?
“Level Up” by Ciara. Hands down. It’s bold, high-energy, and all about growth, discipline, and showing up better than you were the day before—which is exactly what this journey has been about for me. And the music video even starts with a countdown! It doesn’t get more launch-ready than that.
Ready for takeoff? Stream Aisha’s playlist on Spotify.
