In what was the first all-female flight in 60 years, pop sensation Katy Perry embarked on a journey to space on April 14. Aboard Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin rocket were five other women—CBS host Gayle King, activist Amanda Nguyen, scientist Aisha Bowe, producer Kerianne Flynn, and businessperson Lauren Sanchez. The rocket was fully autonomous, so the crew didn’t need to pilot it themselves. This celebrity flight aimed to demonstrate the potential of space tourism in an 11-minute trip. The women ascended 100 km beyond Earth; while they did not enter orbit, they crossed the internationally recognized boundary of space at the Kármán line. However, Katy Perry’s trip to space seems to have done more harm than good, and many are now calling Katy Perry “out of touch” for participating in such a spectacle.
Dramatic Reactions
During the flight, Perry reportedly sang Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” a moment the other passengers described as a highlight of their brief journey. After landing, she kissed the ground, exclaiming how deeply connected to life she felt. She had also brought a daisy with her into space in honor of her daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom, who watched anxiously from Earth. Among those on the ground was Khloé Kardashian, who said she experienced a rush of adrenaline and found her emotions overwhelming.
Public Outcry
Celebrities like Emily Ratajkowski have condemned the flight’s tone-deafness. On her TikTok, Ratajkowski posted a video decrying the vast resources required for this trip at a time when the planet faces an environmental crisis. She pointed out the hypocrisy of a journey that increases carbon emissions being touted as proof of these stars’ commitment to saving Earth. Olivia Munn echoed this sentiment on a talk show, mocking the event’s insensitivity and questioning its necessity—especially given that some people cannot even afford basic groceries. Comedians Tim Rogan and Joe Rogan also poked fun at the women calling themselves “astronauts” upon returning. Ordinary people, too, have not held back, labeling Perry’s stunt “performative” and “obnoxious.”
Social Repercussions
In the United States, where public discourse on climate change has shifted from debate to direct action, a space-tourism flight feels like the opposite of progress. The rocket used by these women emits significant amounts of nitrogen oxides and water vapor, and the launch itself is highly energy-intensive. Although Blue Origin claims water vapor is its only combustion byproduct, water vapor is still a greenhouse gas that can deplete the ozone layer.
Real societal change depends on collective effort. Our behaviors are influenced by those around us—when people see high-profile figures engaging in carbon-heavy activities, it can sap their motivation to reduce consumption, reinforcing a culture of wastefulness.
Tackling environmental challenges requires everyone’s support, especially from the wealthiest, whose actions have the greatest impact. Promoting an unsustainable pastime like space tourism risks undermining broader efforts to protect the planet.
Space tourism remains in its infancy for good reason. The world has shied away from underwater tourism after the Titan submersible disaster; yet because the Blue Origin flight succeeded, some hail it as a scientific triumph. In truth, space tourism offers little beyond extravagant memories for the rich and profit for rocket companies.
At a time when resources are scarce, such lavish ventures do nothing to improve ordinary people’s lives—the very goal of space science. And if these flights become routine, the environmental damage could prove irreversible.
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