Washington, United States — Katy Perry soared to the edge of space on Monday, joining an all-woman crew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket in what was celebrated as a historic first—yet criticized by some as an extravagant publicity stunt.

The Grammy-nominated pop star, joined by Jeff Bezos’s fiancée Lauren Sanchez, TV anchor Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and activist Amanda Nguyen, completed an 11-minute suborbital flight that carried them more than 100 kilometers above Earth—beyond the internationally recognized boundary of space.

The launch took place in West Texas at around 8:30 a.m. local time, and the women emerged jubilant after their capsule returned safely to Earth, slowed by parachutes and a retro rocket. Perry was seen kissing the ground and later shared, “This experience has shown me how much love is inside of you, how much love you have to give, and how loved you are until the day you launch.”

Gayle King added that Perry sang What a Wonderful World during the brief weightless moment in space.

The mission marked Blue Origin’s 11th crewed suborbital flight but its first all-female space crew since Valentina Tereshkova’s historic solo mission in 1963.

Perry, who said she joined the flight to inspire her daughter Daisy “to never have limits on her dreams,” described the journey as “a 10 out of 10.”

A divided response

While Blue Origin and its participants celebrated the event, the flight sparked a backlash across social media and from fellow celebrities.

Model and activist Emily Ratajkowski called the mission "disgusting," questioning the environmental impact and resource use during a time of global crises. “Look at the state of the world and think about how many resources went into putting these women into space—for what? What was the marketing there?”

Comedian Amy Schumer sarcastically announced on Instagram, “Guys, last second they added me to space and I’m going,” while actress Olivia Munn, speaking on Today with Jenna & Friends, said, “Space exploration was to further our knowledge and to help mankind. What are they going to do up there that has made it better for us down here?”

Entertainment Tonight posted a roundup of celebrity criticism on Instagram, amplifying voices that found the mission tone-deaf and unnecessary.

But others on social media came to Perry’s defense, calling out the apparent double standards in how male and female space travelers are received. “Funny how no one questioned it when men went to space spending the same resources. Women belong in every space, including space itself,” one user wrote.

Another commenter pushed back at the outrage: “Do you hate the same way when NASCAR bros are driving in circles eating up resources… for sport? This mission stood for something—starting with women’s rights and unity.”

Blue Origin’s space tourism ambitions

Founded by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin has been offering space tourism flights since 2021, aiming to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. While Blue Origin has yet to reveal the price of a ticket aboard New Shepard, celebrities are frequently comped to help draw public attention to the program.

The flight also serves as a promotional nod to the company’s growing ambitions. In January, Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn orbital rocket, and it currently holds a NASA contract to build a lunar lander for future Artemis missions.

Still, with Earth’s economic and environmental challenges at the forefront of global consciousness, the tension between inspiration and indulgence remains a central debate.

As Perry put it after returning: “You never know how much love is inside of you until the day you launch.” The world, it seems, remains divided on whether this launch was worth the ride.

(Source: Charlotte Causit, Agence France-Presse; with additional reporting from social media)