Aisha Bowe on her journey from community college to rocket scientist

Aisha Bowe prepares for liftoff

Aisha Bowe prepares for liftoff with historical all-female Blue Origin crew 05:55

Aisha Bowe, a erstwhile NASA rocket idiosyncratic and two-time tech institution founder, is acceptable to marque past arsenic the archetypal idiosyncratic of Bahamian practice to question to abstraction erstwhile she joins an all-female Blue Origin unit launching connected April 14.

Bowe appeared connected "CBS Mornings" to sermon her mentation for the historic mission alongside co-host Gayle King, who volition besides beryllium portion of the crew.

"I person been preparing for this infinitesimal my full life," Bowe told King during the interview. "I mean, I started my vocation reasoning I was allergic to mathematics ... And present I'm sitting here, and I'm conscionable like, we are going to space."

In summation to Bowe and King, the groundbreaking ngo features a radical of women that includes instrumentalist Katy Perry, civil rights activistic Amanda Nguyen, philanthropist Lauren Sánchez and movie shaper Kerianne Flynn.

"This unit represents the champion successful the aboriginal of humanity," Bowe said. "It's truly abstraction for the payment of Earth."

Bowe besides shared however she overcame aboriginal discouragement, including being told she should prosecute cosmetology alternatively of aerospace engineering.

"I was told I couldn't, I wouldn't, I shouldn't, and I can't, and I did," said Bowe. "I went from assemblage assemblage to studying aerospace astatine the University of Michigan to moving astatine NASA for six years."

The unit precocious appeared connected the screen of ELLE magazine's peculiar April integer edition, wherever they met successful idiosyncratic for the archetypal time.

When asked what excites her astir astir the upcoming journey, Bowe emphasized the interaction connected aboriginal generations.

"I did it due to the fact that I saw each of you scope for the sky, and I knew it could, too," Bowe said.

Bowe's mentation has included experiencing G-forces to simulate the carnal demands of spaceflight. She joked that her biggest interest for the existent formation is streaking constitution done the tears of excitement.

---

Watch unrecorded sum of "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King's travel to abstraction aboard a Blue Origin rocket connected Monday, April 14, starting astatine 9 a.m. ET on CBS, CBS News 24/7 or Paramount+. 

In:
• Blue Origin
• Space