Singer-songwriter Katy Perry went to space with five other celebrities Monday and public reactions to her journey varied.
Perry was part of an all-female crew, sitting among former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, scientist Amanda Nguyễn, CBS host Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn and Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez. The team launched into space aboard a capsule and rocket developed by Blue Origin, the private spaceflight company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
The crew launched at 9:30 a.m. EDT from Van Horn, Texas. The flight lasted roughly 11 minutes and took the crew just above the Kármán line, an invisible boundary at an altitude of 62 miles that is widely accepted as the edge of space.
At the very top of the flight path, the crew achieved weightlessness for a few minutes before their descent downwards This gave them a brief experience similar to the sensation felt at the peak of a roller coaster, according to CNN.
When talking with NBC News after landing safely, King revealed that Perry sang part of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” while in space. Perry also brought a paper butterfly to space with her, letting it float around the cabin while the crew was weightless. The butterfly had the set list for her upcoming tour, on April 23, written on it. Fans are still trying to decipher the names of the songs, working off a short blurry video clip circulating on X.
So what is the point of all this? I have no idea.
I would consider this star-studded flight a waste of money and energy, and others seem to agree.
The trip has received some criticism online, with actress Olivia Munn calling it a “gluttonous” ride during an appearance on “Today with Jenna & Friends” last week. Others have mocked pictures of the crew posted on Blue Origin’s Instagram, in which they are posing in custom-made space suits designed by crew member Lauren Sánchez herself.
Users criticized the crew and the offensive display of wealth, with comments like “RICH PASSENGERS, NOT CREW,” “This is a reality TV show now. Has absolutely nothing to do with benefiting humanity,” “lol. Only half plastic women allowed Good thing your makeup is waterproof,” and “We have diluted and polluted the word ‘crew.’ They are passengers…nothing more.”
Some of these comments, which ridicule the women’s appearances and question their intelligence, prove why an all-female flight to space is so important. Conversely, others point out that these women aren’t necessarily deserving of the opportunity, just wealthy enough to reserve a seat on board.
The voyage marked the first all-female space trip since Soviet astronaut, Valentina Tereshkova’s solo spaceflight in 1963 as the first woman to travel into space. Considering how only 11% of people in space have been women, I think it is commendable that Perry and the rest of the crew want to set an example, but for whom are they setting it? Most of us, no matter how hard we try, could never reach the level of wealth necessary for such an adventure.
When speaking with the Associated Press, Perry said she has “always been interested in astrophysics and interested in astronomy and astrology and the stars.” She added that she wants to “inspire young girls to go, ‘I’ll go to space in the future.’”
In my eyes, the only thing she is inspiring is an ever-growing wealth gap.
A seat on Blue Origin’s flights can cost millions. Customers must fill out a form on the company’s website that includes a $150,000 deposit and then costs go up from there, according to Forbes.
Aside from being a flamboyant show of wealth, the 10-minute journey to space took a swing at our environment as well. The trip emitted an extravagant amount of carbon, as much or more than one person, in the bottom billion of carbon emitters, would emit during their entire lifespan.
Not all of the comments about the mission were negative. Most commenters expressed their love for the women and wished them safe travels. On Perry’s Instagram page, many commenters wrote things like “GO MOTHER GO!!! What another crazy thing to add to your resume. We are so proud of you” and “Be careful, mom! I love u (please, perform E.T. for us).”
After landing, when asked if she would write a song about the experience, Perry said, “Oh, for sure, 100%.”
While many people are in support of the flight, I can’t help but think it was a waste. Aside from Perry becoming the first artist to perform in space and promoting her own brand, not much came from her costly trip to the stars.
