All-Female Blue Origin Crew Makes History—But Not Everyone Is Applauding

Katy Perry, along with Lauren Sánchez, Gayle King, and three other women, recently soared 66.5 miles above Earth on an 11-minute space flight with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. The journey, live streamed globally, briefly pushed the all-female crew past the Kármán Line, the official boundary of space, allowing them to experience weightlessness before returning to Earth. Despite marking the first all-women space crew since Valentina Tereshkova's solo mission in 1963, the trip received more criticism than applause.

Katy Perry’s Space Mission Raises Eyebrows and Questions

Social media platforms were flooded with sharp disapproval from the public, with users calling out the extravagant nature of the trip during a time of global crises. Comments ranged from confusion to outright condemnation, like,

"People can’t afford to eat, and they are going to space for fun."
"I don't get what the point was in going into space for 11 minutes?"
"I don’t support this, men or women. I do not understand its purpose. The resources and money spent are abhorrent."
"Bezos could single-handedly end world hunger and still keep his billionaire status."
"All the resources and money could have gone into saving the planet and feeding hungry people instead."
"It’s not jealousy. With the billion dollars, they could actually do something that could help mankind; how did these inexperienced women make any sort of impact by going up there for selfies?"
"What carbon footprint does this indulgence have on our environment?"

Even Olivia Munn voiced her concerns during her appearance on Today With Jenna and Friends. She questioned the relevance and value of such missions, saying, "What are they doing?" and added, "I know this probably isn't the cool thing to say, but there are so many other things that are so important in the world right now."

Munn didn’t stop there. She remarked, "I know this is probably obnoxious, but, like, it's so much money to go to space, and there are a lot of people who can't even afford eggs." She concluded with a pointed observation, "What's the point? Is it historic that you guys are going on a ride? I think it's a bit gluttonous. Space exploration was to further our knowledge and to help mankind. What are they going to do up there that has made it better for us down here?"

Olivia Munn calls out Blue Origin space trip:

“What’s the point? Is it historic that you guys are going on a ride? I think it’s a bit gluttonous. Space exploration was to further our knowledge and to help mankind. What are they gonna do up there that has made it better for us… pic.twitter.com/aaf7BzhIvE

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) April 15, 2025

Emily Ratajkowski also talked about the incident and said, "That space mission this morning...this is beyond parody...I'm disgusted...Look at the state of the world and think about how many resources went into putting these women into space. What was the marketing there?".

Emily Ratajkowski says she’s ‘disgusted’ by the Blue Origin space trip:

“Look at the state of the world and think about how many resources went into putting these women in space… for what?” pic.twitter.com/i9rRrWvSei

— Pop Base (@PopBase) April 14, 2025

Curiosity Soars, How Much Does a Trip Like This Cost?

Despite the backlash, the internet saw a surge in people searching for how to book their own space experience. With space tourism no longer just sci-fi fantasy, many are wondering if it’s something they could experience too, if they can afford it.

Blue Origin has taken 52 people to space since its first crewed mission in 2021. In contrast, Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic has only flown 37 people to space since 2004, while Elon Musk’s SpaceX continues to explore longer orbital journeys.

So, how much does a ticket to space cost? Blue Origin does not publicly disclose ticket prices, but interested applicants are required to pay a refundable deposit of $150,000 (about ₹1.28 crore). 

However, in 2021, a seat on its maiden flight was auctioned for $28 million (₹241 crore). Some passengers revealed paying between zero to nearly $30 million (₹258 crore), depending on circumstances and visibility.

This boom in interest isn’t surprising. The space tourism industry, worth $848.28 million in 2023, has already grown to $1.3 billion in 2024. A new report projects it will skyrocket to $6.7 billion by 2030.

As ordinary citizens remain grounded, for now, their dreams are drifting skyward,  with some watching in awe and others with outrage.