Blue Origin NS-31

By: Brook Hill

Katy Perry made headlines on April 14, 2025, as she joined Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission, becoming the first major pop star to travel to space. The flight, launched from West Texas aboard the New Shepard rocket, carried an all-female crew of six, marking the first all-women spaceflight since 1963. The mission aimed to inspire future generations and promote gender equality in space travel.

• Katy Perry, pop star and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador (but why?)

• Lauren Sánchez, the fiancée of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos (ironic right?)

• Gayle King, CBS Mornings co-host(enough said, publicity.)

• Aisha Bowe, former NASA rocket scientist(spot on the ship earned).

• Amanda Nguyen, civil rights activist and bioastronautics research scientist( spot on the ship earned).

• Kerianne Flynn, film producer and philanthropist(again…publicity.)

The flight reached an altitude of  66.5 miles, crossing the internationally recognized boundary of space. The crew experienced several minutes of weightlessness and breathtaking views. But people are questioning the purpose and validity of this journey. The semantics are highly debated.

During the flight, Perry serenaded her fellow astronauts with a rendition of “What a Wonderful World,” for some reason. She also brought a daisy with her, symbolizing her daughter and the resilience of nature. Which…again makes no sense. It seemed a lot like a publicity stunt on her behalf. Perry later described feeling “super connected to love”…it kinda seems like this was a different kind of “trip” for her if you know what  I mean.

While the mission was celebrated by some as a milestone for women in space, it also faced criticism.  These people bought their way onto an experimental flight. No wonder people are criticizing the flight as a symbol of what ridiculous amounts of money can get you.

Only 2 of the women on board had real business being there. Scientists and masters of their craft, those girls earned their spot. While people like Sanchez, Perry, and King simply bought their way into the limelight. Making this appear as one big publicity stunt, even if that wasn’t the intention.

These celebrities’ journey to space is a window into the rich. And all the things money COULD DO BUT ISN’T. Why cure cancer when we can send famous people into space for 11 minutes? While I do see how this was supposed to be a giant step for women, it was only a giant step for 2 of those ladies. For the rest, it was just a publicity stunt.

Lmk what you guys think in the comments!

Until next time, friends!