Blue Origin sparking backlash 

On April 14, 2025, Blue Origin, a commercial space travel company owned by Jeff Bezos, hosted several celebrities. Singer Katy Perry, TV host Gayle King, Journalist Lauren Sanchez, and a few others boarded this all-female flight. This flight was the first all-female flight since Valentina Tereshkova’s solo flight in 1963.

“I think that there are more qualified people who should’ve boarded that flight”. Deerfield Beach High School Freshman, Shyanne Kranz, said, “It’s sad that they’re missing out on these amazing opportunities due to celebrities taking advantage of their status and popularity“.

 These A-list celebrities received a lot of backlash as critics claimed they had little knowledge about space while pronouncing that they had made history, with many calling it a joyride. The Shepard Rocket N31 blasted off from Launch Site One in West Texas. The mission lasted 10 minutes and reached a total altitude of 62 miles. When they landed after the flight, the ladies kissed the ground after 11 minutes of being in the air. This flight was Blue Origin’s 11th space flight ever!  

“I don’t think kissing the ground was necessary; they weren’t up there long enough to feel or experience the side effects of being in space”, said DBHS Freshman, Zayde Duron.

 Fans heard Perry roar after facing backlash. She invited several fans dressed in blue space suits on stage and took a selfie with them. This leads many to wonder if she is trying to reach viewers and bring potential fans to her concerts. She’s been off Billboard’s Top Charts since 2013 and has never shown interest in out-of-world activity, so it’s very ironic that 10 days before her concert, she decides to change the world. There’s a possibility that people are reading too much into her actions, and she is using her money and fame for the better. On their flight, Katy brought a daisy (which happens to be the name of her song and her daughter) into the shuttle and posed for the camera.

Society’s backlash on space travel reveals vital facts about what this generation tends to focus on. Katy Perry boarded a rocket, and her story is told just because she’s famous. More pearl things happening in the world can benefit from the people’s focus. A society shouldn’t revolve around what celebrities do or don’t do.

Written by Ava Murcliffe | Graphic Designed by Ava Murcliffe

Published May 12, 2025 | ePathfinder | Feature