'disappointed' Gayle King Responds To Backlash Following Historic Blue Origin Space Flight

Gayle King is 'very disappointed and very saddened' by criticism of her Blue Origin space flight.

The 70-year-old broadcaster was part of an all-female crew - which also included pop star Katy Perry, Jeff Bezos' fiancee Lauren Sanchez, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn - that flew to the boundary of space earlier this week, and she's been left frustrated by those who branded the 11-minute trip 'frivolous'.

Speaking on 'CBS Mornings', she said: 'Space is not an either or, it's a both and, and because you do something in space doesn't mean you're taking anything away from Earth. And what you're doing in space is trying to make things better here on Earth.

'What Blue Origin wants to do is take the waste here and figure out a way to put it in space to make our planet cleaner. Jeff Bezos has so many ideas, and the people that are working there are really devoted and dedicated to making our planet a better place. That's number one.

'There was nothing frivolous about what we do. So, you know, I'm very disappointed and very saddened by it the criticism. And I also say this what it's doing to inspire other women and young girls? Please don't ignore that. I've had so many women and young girls reach out to me, and men too, by the way. Men too that say, 'Wow, I never thought I could do that, but I see you doing it at this stage of your life.' '