Gayle King, our fearless(ish) queen of morning news, just went to space. Like actual, real-deal, outer-orbit-for-11-minutes space. And while her game face may have cracked a little on the way up, her bravery was solid gold.
The "CBS Mornings" co-host joined a historic all-female Blue Origin flight on Monday morning, a mission dubbed NS-31, alongside some serious powerhouses: Katy Perry, Lauren Sánchez, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics researcher Amanda Nguyen, and producer Kerianne Flynn. Together, they became the first all-women space crew in more than 60 years.
But back to Gayle. While walking toward the capsule, she rang the ceremonial bell, a tradition for every Blue Origin crew, and let's just say her face said it all. Nerves. Real nerves. The internet noticed, and it was peak relatable.
One Facebook user joked, "I don't think Gayle will make it. She looks very much nervous." Another Threads fan saw something more profound: "You could quite literally see the fear in her eyes… The main thing I learned is to do it, and do it scared."
"I Just Wanted to Sit Down"
Post-flight, during a press conference, Gayle got real about what was running through her mind in those final moments before liftoff. "At that moment I was so afraid," she admitted. "I just wanted to get into my seat… The process of walking up there was a little daunting for me."
But did she let the fear stop her? Nope. She buckled up, blasted off, and joined space history while being a self-proclaimed "nervous flier."
"I walked out of there thinking, gosh I can do anything," she said. "I'm so proud of us. I really am proud of me because I never in a gazillion years thought I could do this."
Oprah Was In Tears
No one felt Gayle's achievement more than Oprah Winfrey, her bestie of nearly five decades. Standing on the ground in Texas with Gayle's kids, Kirby and Will, Oprah watched the rocket take off and visibly held back tears.
"This is bigger than just going to space," Oprah said during the livestream. "For her, anytime we're on a flight, she's in somebody's lap if there's turbulence."
And if you're wondering why Oprah encouraged her to go? "I think life is about continuing to grow into the best of yourself," she shared. "This is one of the fullest expressions you can possibly have."
Lauren Sánchez Gets Real About Space and Marriage
Lauren Sánchez, journalist, pilot, and fiancée to Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, had her emotional moment post-flight. In a chat with Charissa Thompson, she described seeing Jeff before liftoff as a gut punch: "I just went, 'Oof.' I had to come back — I mean, we're getting married. If I didn't come back, that would be a bummer for me."
She even joked, "Jeff, if you don't want to marry me, you don't have to send me to space."
Post-flight, Lauren said the journey was deeply transformative. "It was joy, camaraderie, gratefulness… Earth looked so quiet. You realize how connected we all are."