Katy Perry’s space trip slammed as wasteful spectacle, critics blast 10-minute Blue Origin flight

The Blue Origin flight to space included Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyễn, Gayle King, Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sánchez
| Photo Credit: X/ @blueorigin

What was intended as a triumphant, symbolic journey to space has landed Katy Perry in the middle of a heated public backlash.
On Monday, the pop star joined CBS anchor Gayle King and four other women aboard Blue Origin’s NS-31 flight — the company’s latest commercial voyage to space. The all-female crew spent roughly 10 minutes above the Kármán line before descending in a cloud of dust to the West Texas desert.

While the launch was celebrated by the crew and their celebrity supporters — including Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, and Perry’s partner Orlando Bloom — public reaction was far less enthusiastic.

Critics took to social media to question the value of the brief space trip. Actress Olivia Munn called it “gluttonous,” asking, “What are they gonna do up there that has made it better for us down here?” Model Emily Ratajkowski echoed that sentiment, calling the mission “a big show” and slamming its environmental cost.

The criticism targeted both the optics and substance of the flight. “Today Katy Perry burned more emissions than Taylor Swift did during the entire Eras Tour,” one post claimed. Another wrote, “Thinking ‘we have to protect our mother’ about the Earth after going on a vanity space flight… is just so funny, she’s got jokes.”

Perry, who kissed the dirt and held up a daisy upon landing — a tribute to her daughter — tried to position the trip as a message of empowerment. “It’s about making space for future women and taking up space and belonging,” she said. “This is all for the benefit of Earth.” She added that she felt “super connected to love” and plans to write a song inspired by the experience.

But critics saw little substance behind the sentiment. Perry’s pre-flight remarks, where she referenced Carl Sagan and string theory, came off to many as shallow PR. Combined with her recent commercial struggles — including a failed comeback single — the spaceflight has amplified accusations that she’s lost touch.

Blue Origin hasn’t disclosed how much each seat cost, though estimates place the price in the millions. The company’s “For the benefit of Earth” slogan struck many as ironic given the environmental toll of space tourism.

Gayle King acknowledged the backlash during a press briefing. “I’m not going to let you steal our joy,” she said, brushing off what she called “cranky Yankees and haters.”