Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos fell down in the Texas desert on Monday morning while rushing to greet his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, and the rest of the all-female crew following their successful suborbital spaceflight.
The moment was captured live as the 61-year-old billionaire ran toward the capsule and stumbled, falling into the sand just as the capsule touched down after the 11-minute flight.
Emotional reunion at landing site
Despite the fall, Bezos was beaming as he opened the capsule door and helped Lauren Sanchez out. After an embrace with her future husband, Sanchez quickly turned to hug family members waiting nearby.
“I can’t put it into words. We got to see the Moon!” Sanchez said through tears. “The Earth looked so quiet… I don’t think you could describe it.”
A life-changing experience
Bezos, who flew on Blue Origin’s first space tourism mission in 2021, had previously told Sanchez the trip would be transformational. He was clearly thrilled for her to experience it herself.
“She’s a strong woman, and this was a powerful moment,” Bezos said after the crew disembarked.
Star-studded space crew
Sanchez was joined by five other women for the milestone flight:
CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King
Civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen
Rocket scientist Aisha Bowe
Film producer Kerianne Flynn
The crew soared about 62 miles (100 km) above Earth — just past the Kármán Line, the internationally recognised boundary of space. During their brief voyage, they witnessed the moon, the blackness of space, and the curvature of the blue planet.
A new chapter in space travel
The mission marked the first all-female spaceflight since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s groundbreaking solo mission in 1963. It also marked the 11th human spaceflight for Blue Origin’s New Shepard program.
“This was more than a ride,” said Amanda Nguyen. “It was a statement — for women, for science, and for the future.”
As the crew exited the capsule, applause and cheers erupted from the ground team. Gayle King summed up the moment with a grin: “This was joy, wonder, and awe — all at once. And yes, I’d do it again.”
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