The Tribune

AISHA BOWE is set to make history today as the first Bahamian to travel to space, joining the crew of Blue Origin’s latest mission under its New Shepard programme.

Bowe, an aerospace engineer and entrepreneur with Bahamian roots, is among a six-member, all-female crew scheduled to launch from Texas at 9.30am. The suborbital flight will carry its passengers more than 62 miles above the Earth’s surface — past the internationally recognised boundary of outer space.

Born in Michigan to Bahamian parents, Bowe has long embraced her cultural heritage. Her father, Glenroy Anthony Bowe, is from Andros, while her mother, Forester Bowe is from Exuma. She has credited her grandfather Forrester Bowe, with helping fund a NASA internship that set her on the path toward a career in space exploration.

In 2012, she told The Tribune about her childhood visits to The Bahamas and her deep ties to the islands, recalling how she would “jonsing” for hot patties and coconut tarts

while away.

Today’s flight marks not only a personal milestone for Bowe, but also a symbolic moment for The Bahamas. She will become the first Bahamian to take part in space travel, joining

a historic all-female crew that includes CBS journalist Gayle King, singer Katy Perry, Lauren Sanchez, Kerianne Flynn, and activist Amanda Nguyen. Blue Origin said it is the first fully female crewed mission since the 1963 solo flight of Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova.

The mission is expected to last approximately 11 minutes. The rocket booster will land roughly seven and a half minutes after launch, followed shortly after by the capsule’s descent via parachute.

Over the years, Bowe has visited schools in The Bahamas to speak with students about careers in science and technology. She has described her journey as one of breaking boundaries and has said she hopes her story will inspire others to “reach for the stars.”

A livestream of the launch is available on Blue Origin’s website.