The Blue Origin Space Flight
- eylulkorkmaz0109
- May 4
- 3 min read
On April 14th, 2025, the historic Blue Origin flight New Shepard (NS-31) took 6 women, including singer Katy Perry, into space. The crew included founder Jeff Bezos’ partner Lauren Sanchez, journalist Gayle King, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe. The 6 women crossed the boundary of space, recognized as being 100 km above Earth, for a total of 11 minutes.
The exploration was originally intended to advocate for women in STEM-related fields and increase their engagement in space exploration. However, many people, including notable celebrities soon began to criticize the journey for lacking eco-consciousness, being expensive, and providing minimal scientific contribution.
One of the main points of criticism was the lack of consideration for the environment. According to Sustainability Magazine, the NS-31 mainly utilizes liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, thus only emits water vapor during the flight. Its reusable manufacturing also makes the rocket a more eco-friendly option compared to the average rocket, yet a majority of its operations are still reliant on heavy energy use, especially during the main manufacturing and logistical procedures.
In total, the 11-minute journey of the rocket is said to have released the same amount of carbon dioxide that the average individual would emit in their entire life. This significant and devastating environmental contribution of the rocket, marketed to be an eco-conscious alternative, prompted celebrities like Emily Ratajkowski to take their disapproval online.
In her lengthy social media post, Emily Ratajkowski touched on the irony of supporting NS-31’s “environmentally friendly mission,” when Jeff Bezos’s primary company, Amazon, is one of the most polluting corporations in the world. She also scrutinized the insensitivity of the trip, labeling the trip as spotlighting the privileges of the world’s wealthiest while the average person is struggling to afford basic necessities. Even though the specific cost of the venture has yet to be released to the public, a seat is estimated to cost between 175 thousand dollars and 1 million dollars. According to People.com, a previous auction in 2021 had even sold a seat for a staggering 28 million dollars. Ratajkowski eventually concluded the video by labeling the event as “end-time s—. Like, this is beyond parody”.
Other celebrities also supported Ratajkowski’s view, such as actor Olivia Munn. She remarked in an interview on Today with Jenna & Friends that "there's a lot of people who can't even afford eggs,” while the rich are able to go on extravagant excursions. Her view expressed frustration over the lack of focus on more significant political developments in the USA whilst glamorizing gluttony.
Another aspect of the space travel that caught the attention of many was Katy Perry’s involvement. Katy Perry, known for her popular music videos and performances, prompted hesitation and mockery from her fans due to her pre-flight interviews. The singer mentioned her keen interests in complex scientific topics like astrophysics and STEM, which was met with mockery on social media. Perry was also compared to women in the crew who were more experienced with science such as Aisha Bowe and Amanda Nguyen, and her lack of participation in the field lead many to question her relevance.
The singer’s other actions as she landed on the Earth like kissing the ground, mentioning her “connectedness to love,” and singing in the capsule while holding a daisy also supported this view. Social media users deemed the actions as taking the spotlight off the main purpose and being highly performative. These gestures, in addition to the lack of accountability for environmental damage, led to intense condemnation of the artist.
Soon after the public reaction, the crew of the mission responded to criticism by continuing to underline the purpose of the trip. The women emphasized how the space tourism industry is becoming increasingly successful through the contribution of women, especially since the last all-female spaceflight 60+ years ago. They also mentioned how the diversity of the all-female crew is paving the path for a more inclusive future.
Overall, despite the critiques regarding Blue Origin’s all-female flight, the excursion is still noted as one of the most historic journeys in space travel. However, as seen through the public’s reactions, the company must address issues of privilege, eco-friendliness and genuine scientific contribution to succeed further. As space travel and technologies become more heavily researched, discussions regarding the balance of multiple perspectives and factors are crucial to maintain.
Edited by: Derya Selin Yener, Yağmur Ece Nisanoğlu
