Katy Perry, Jeff Bezos’ fiance Lauren Sanchez, CBS host Gayle King, NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, scientist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn launched into space aboard a Blue Origin New Shepard Rocket. This all-female crew made a huge breakthrough for Bezos’ New Shepard vehicle, in which he hopes for space tourism in the future.
The capsule took off on Apr. 14, 2025 and was in space for a total of 11 minutes. While in space, the six women were able to see earth and experience weightlessness. Not only was Katy Perry the first popstar to enter space, she was also a part of the first all-women spaceflight in over sixty years.
Upon Katy Perry’s return she felt grateful for her life, as there were risks of the mission. According to Reuters, Perry said, “I feel super connected to love.” During the flight she was reminded of the love she has for her husband, Orlando Bloom, and daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom. She was also reminded of her role as a public figure, and the impact she has on women worldwide. To express her gratitude, she sang “What a Wonderful World” to the crew. She used her gifted voice to make the trip special to the six women involved.
The public’s view of this space trip is split. Some are in support as they can see the improvement that is happening with space travel while others are uncertain about the women that were chosen. The fact that Katy Perry is a popstar has made people question the intentions of Bezos’ hopes for space tourism. Many wonder if this will just be another way for rich and famous people to rise above the rest of the population. Another belief is that the spaceflight was a waste, and could have been used to gain more information about space.
The controversy of if people have ever really entered space and landed on the moon has been brought into this new mission. Some think that it is all a set-up and the capsule never left Earth. EHS junior, Sophia Roth, believes that the expedition did happen. “I think it’s true because there is video proof,” she said. This is believable because individuals have noticed that the capsule returned to Earth in perfect condition, while capsules in the past come back damaged due to traveling through the Earth’s surface.
Nevertheless, this spaceflight is a big step for Bezos’ development of space tourism. There may be controversy considering that a popstar was sent, but Katy Perry is helping carve the path of space tourism. Hopefully regular citizens will soon be given this opportunity, as it is an experience many citizens would love to be given.
