Katy Perry took the internet by storm in April 2025 when she travelled to space aboard a Blue Origin rocket, joining an all-female crew on a brief journey beyond Earth's atmosphere.
The Dark Horse singer garnered significant attention, underscoring the increasing role of private companies in space exploration and reigniting debate about the future of commercial space tourism.
1. Katy Perry joined an all-female space crew
On April 14, 2025, Perry flew aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft alongside five other women, including journalist Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn and Lauren Sánchez.
The space mission lasted approximately 11 minutes and crossed the internationally recognised Kármán line, commonly used as the boundary of space.
The flight marked a highly publicised moment for the company that was founded by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos.
2. Blue Origin's rocket uses reusable technology
The New Shepard system entails a reusable rocket booster and a capsule designed to carry passengers above the atmosphere.
Following a liftoff, the capsule separates from the booster, letting passengers experience weightlessness and view Earth from space.
The booster then marked a return for a controlled landing, while the capsule descended separately under parachutes.
3. Her flight highlighted the debate over space tourism
Perry’s journey brought renewed attraction to commercial spaceflight, an industry providing wealthy customers the opportunity to experience space without becoming professional astronauts.
However, critics have questioned the environmental impact, expense and social value of celebrity space tourism.
Despite the debate, the mission highlighted how entertainment figures are increasingly becoming part of the commercial space industry.
