On the morning of April 14, Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket with an all-female crew on board reached the limits of space – 106 kilometers above Earth. Among the six passengers were pop diva Katy Perry, CBS News journalist Gayle King and Lauren Sanchez, a partner of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos. The 11-minute flight was not only an adventure, but also a symbolic step for female emancipation in the space industry.
The highlight of the trip was a spontaneous performance by Katy Perry. On the way back to Earth, she performed Louis Armstrong’s classic song “What a Wonderful World”, created in the 1960s to heal social rifts in the United States after the murder of President John F. Kennedy, the outbreak of the Vietnam War, and the politics of racial segregation.
“My higher self guided me. I never thought I would sing this in space,” Perry admitted after landing. The female passengers initially supported the star, but then began encouraging her to perform a hit of her own, but she limited herself to Armstrong.
Kiss of the Earth
After a successful return, Perry symbolically bowed to the Earth by kissing the soil. In the interview, she emphasized that the flight symbolized “collective energy and space for future generations of women.” According to her, such missions are a reminder of the beauty of the planet and the need to preserve it. “It’s all for the good of the Earth,” the singer added.
At the same time, critics point out that billionaires’ trips to space remain more PR gestures than scientific achievements.
Interestingly, Perry didn’t use the flight to promote her own work, but promised to write a song inspired by the experience. “Space has changed my vision. Now I want to talk about unity,” she declared. Despite the controversy around “space tourism,” the mission was another step toward promoting STEM careers among women. Blue Origin, in particular, has already announced partnerships with organizations that support women’s education in technology.
Experts remind: although tourist flights are still unaffordable for ordinary citizens, they stimulate investments in space research. But would a multi-minute experience of microgravity for rich stars really help the planet? The question remains.
Earlier we reported on how Blue Origin sent the oldest man into space.
According to businessinsider.com
