Katy Perry has safely returned to Earth after completing a groundbreaking journey into space.
She was accompanied by Aisha Bowe, Kerianne Flynn, Amanda Nguyễn, Gayle King, and Lauren Sánchez on the brief voyage, which lasted a mere 11 minutes.
This mission was significant as it was the first all-female space crew since 1963.
Despite the excitement, there has been debate over whether the flight truly reached space, as it only ventured to the edge. The Blue Origin flight ascended 62 miles above Earth, crossing the Karman Line, considered the ‘internationally recognized boundary of space’.
Some people have been questioning whether Perry and her fellow travelers genuinely entered space.
Putting technicalities aside, many noticed the same thing about the capsule’s touchdown earlier today (April 14).
During a clip of their landing, a commentator described it as a ‘very soft, soft landing’, though it appeared anything but. The sound of Perry and King screaming was audible as the capsule hit the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
One Twitter user commented, “Katy Perry is back and alive! No way they dropped them like that.”
“The landing was CRAZY,” another person said, while a third remarked: “That was not a soft landing.”
Watch the moment unfold here:
Elsewhere, the event was humorously likened to Dorothy’s house descending from the tornado in The Wizard of Oz.
Conversations also arose about the brevity of the flight, given the extensive build-up leading to it.
Someone jokingly related it to Perry’s latest album release: “Girl 143 was on the charts longer than her trip.”
Another jested: “They rlly said ‘ok slay now come back immediately’ [sic].”
“That was quick,” added another observer.
Questions arose about why Perry was selected for the six-member space team, and the answer lies with Sánchez.
Sánchez organized the crew and told Elle magazine that she chose each participant based on their inspirational qualities and their ability to tell stories in their own unique ways.
“They’re going to go up to space and be able to spread what they felt in different ways,” Sánchez elaborated.