Katy Perry joins all-female crew on Blue Origin mission, becoming first pop star in space, promoting female empowerment.

In Short

Blue Origin launched its New Shepard rocket with an all-female crew, including Katy Perry, marking her as the first pop star in space.

The mission, which focused on female empowerment, allowed the crew to experience weightlessness and resulted in Perry singing “What a Wonderful World” after their return.

Blue Origin successfully launched its New Shepard rocket on Monday, carrying an all-female crew that included pop star Katy Perry, author Lauren Sanchez, TV presenter Gayle King, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, former rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn.

This flight marked Katy Perry as the first pop star to travel to space. The mission involved a brief experience of weightlessness during its eleven-minute journey, where the crew shared a message of female empowerment, saying “take up space.”

“What a Wonderful World”

Upon landing, Perry described the flight as a “10 out of 10” and expressed her connection to love during the experience. While she had originally promised to sing in space, she ultimately chose to perform Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” upon their return, emphasising the collective nature of their experience rather than her own.

Gayle King, who described the trip as enlightening, expressed reservations about being called an astronaut but recognised the unique perspective gained from viewing Earth from space. Her friend Oprah Winfrey, who watched the landing, noted the significance of the achievement, especially given King’s previous anxieties about flying.

Despite previous safety concerns raised by employees about the Blue Origin capsules, the company maintains a record of safety. This flight is part of Blue Origin’s ongoing mission program and aligns with their future plans involving lunar exploration. Perry expressed a sense of destiny in embarking on the journey, highlighting personal connections with the mission’s symbols.