What did Gayle King say about her trip to space? Journalist hits back at critics of Blue Origin flight

CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King was part of a five-person crew, including journalist Lauren Sanchez, activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and singer Katy Perry. Blue Origin is owned and co-founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez's fiancé.

Blue Origin's NS-25's mission marked the company's first crewed flight in almost two years and the first with an all-female crew. The 11-minute flight on April 14, 2025, was framed as a milestone for women in STEM and space exploration.

Soon after touchdown, the mission attracted online scrutiny, with many calling it elitist and wasteful. Critics, including model Emily Ratajkowski and director Olivia Wilde, accused the mission of being tone-deaf and performative.

Gayle King has addressed the backlash surrounding her recent Blue Origin spaceflight, calling the criticism "very disappointing" and "very saddening." King took to the press to clarify her stance and respond to what she called a misunderstanding of the mission's intent.

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"I was very disappointed": Gayle King responds to online outrage

According to an article by People, King did not mince words about the online reaction and the misunderstanding surrounding the flight. The CBS host spoke about how the flight was about visibility and inspiration on CBS Mornings on April 15, 2025. She said:

"There was nothing frivolous about what we do. So, you know, I'm very disappointed and very saddened by it (the criticism). And I also say this — what it's doing to inspire other women and young girls? Please don't ignore that."

Gayle King has also spoken about a lack of understanding regarding the mission. On April 14, 2025, King reportedly said the mission's critics do not understand "what is happening here," according to a story by People on April 15, 2025.

In a post-flight interview with Extra on April 15, 2025, Gayle King addressed the online backlash, saying that the mission with Blue Origin had given her a new perspective and made her less skeptical about space flights. She mentioned:

"I think it's good that we can really address it … because I was one of those people before I went on this flight and before I became educated. 'Why are we spending so much money on space when there's so much to do on Earth?' I was one of those people."

Gayle King also said that critics should try the flight for themselves before concluding, and that if enough people were interested, the flight would not be that expensive either. According to People, Blue Origin currently allows anyone to reserve a seat on their spacecraft with a "fully refundable deposit of $150,000."

"Then my question is, 'Have y'all been to space?' Go to space or go to Blue Origin and see what they do, and then come back and say, 'This is a terrible thing.' One of the things they're trying to do—if you get enough people who are interested, it doesn't have to be that expensive," she said.

Gayle King also addressed the now-viral photo of her boarding the flight, saying she was simply a little nervous, that she found the memes funny, and that nothing would dampen her joy at what they accomplished with the flight. She stated:

"I know there are some haters, but I'm not gonna let people steal my joy and steal the joy of what we did or what we accomplished that day. I'm just not going to let it in."

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Since its first crewed flight in 2021, Bezos' Blue Origin has faced backlash and raised questions about accessibility, environmental cost, and the commercialization of space. While it is clear that Gayle King stands by her choice to be part of this latest all-female mission, critics remain unconvinced.