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Aisha Bowe<\/strong> made history as the aerospace engineer on Blue Origin\u2019s first all-female flight to the edge of space \u2014 the first such mission since Valentina Tereshkova\u2019s solo journey aboard Vostok 6 in 1963.<\/p>\n Aisha is a Bahamian-American aerospace engineer, STEM advocate and entrepreneur. She is also the founder and CEO of STEMBoard, a technology company, and LINGO, an educational tech company featuring tutorials and online resources featuring NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace.<\/p>\n \u201cAisha Bowe has been reaching for the stars ever since she ignored a guidance counselor\u2019s advice to go into cosmetology\u2014and now, she\u2019s helping young people get an earlier start on STEM education than she did,\u201d reads her official biography on LINGO\u2019s website. \u201cA serial entrepreneur, motivational speaker and former NASA rocket scientist, Aisha has launched seven-figure companies, landed some of the most well-known names in tech as clients and is set to make her own journey to the stars as a passenger on a commercial space mission.\u201d<\/p>\n On April 14, 2025, Aisha was one of six women<\/a> aboard Blue Origin\u2019s NS-31 flight, which launched from the company\u2019s West Texas site and completed its round trip in approximately eight minutes. The star-studded crew included pop star Katy Perry<\/strong>, CBS News personality Gayle King<\/strong>, Jeff Bezos<\/strong>\u2019 fianc\u00e9e<\/a> Lauren S\u00e1nchez<\/strong>, film producer Kerianne Flynn<\/strong> and bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Blue Origin\u2019s flight to space had its controversy, and the event drew widespread criticism.<\/p>\n Before the flight took off, actress Olivia Munn<\/strong> made headlines when she questioned the need for the trip during an appearance on Today With Jenna and Friends.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI know this probably isn\u2019t the cool thing to say, but there are so many other things that are so important in the world right now,\u201d the actress told viewers on April 3, 2025. \u201cWhat are you guys gonna do up in space? What are you doing up there?\u201d<\/p>\n She noted that space travel was an expensive endeavor and that the average American \u201ccan\u2019t even afford eggs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s the point? Is it historic that you guys are going on a ride? I think it\u2019s a bit gluttonous,\u201d she continued. \u201cSpace exploration was to further our knowledge and to help mankind. What are they gonna do up there that has made it better for us down here?\u201d<\/p>\n Aisha responded to the backlash during a press conference on April 15, 2025, telling the media she wished \u201cthose who are criticizing the mission could read the messages in my inbox.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I decided that I was going to pursue aerospace engineering, it was after my high school guidance counselor told me that I should pursue cosmetology because she did not think that I would be suited for this field,\u201d the rocket scientist said. \u201cI went from pre-algebra in community college to two degrees in aerospace engineering to working for NASA to being able to sit on the stage and say it is bigger than the criticism.\u201d<\/p>\nWho Is Aisha Bowe?<\/h2>\n
Who Else Was a Blue Origin Passenger?<\/h2>\n
Rocket Scientist Aisha Bowe Claps Back at Blue Origin Criticism<\/h2>\n