Following pop star Katy Perry’s return from her space adventure, there has been some skepticism about the mission, including criticism from a Donald Trump official.
On April 14, the 40-year-old artist embarked on Blue Origin’s New Shepard’s 31st mission, lifting off from Launch Site One in West Texas that morning.
This event marked a historic occasion as it was the first all-female crew to journey into space since Valentina Tereshkova in 1963.
The team comprised Perry, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, documentary producer Kerianne Flynn, civil rights advocate Amanda Nguyễn, journalist and CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King, and author and journalist Lauren Sánchez, who is engaged to Blue Origin founder and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos.
During the mission, the crew experienced weightlessness in the suborbital craft, with various props also floating alongside them.
Nevertheless, theories questioning the authenticity of the journey arose, with some claiming to have evidence that the entire event was staged.
On X, users shared photos comparing the wear on other space capsule surfaces after re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere with Perry’s seemingly untouched capsule.
Additionally, footage captured a person inside opening the hatch upon landing, closing it, and then Bezos opening it from the outside with a bar. This fueled allegations that the mission was contrived.
Criticism also surfaced over Perry being labeled an ‘astronaut’ due to her lack of formal training.
Among those opposing this designation is Sean Duffy, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
He expressed his views on X, arguing that the crew lacked the necessary experience to be deemed space travelers.
Duffy stated: “The last FAA guidelines under the Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program were clear: Crewmembers who travel into space must have ‘demonstrated activities during flight that were essential to public safety, or contributed to human space flight safety’.
“The crew who flew to space this week on an automated flight by Blue Origin were brave and glam, but you cannot identify as an astronaut. They do not meet the FAA astronaut criteria.”
The Federal Aviation Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, does not assign the ‘astronaut’ title, as Duffy pointed out: “The FAA no longer designates anyone as an ‘astronaut.’ In addition, the FAA does not define where space begins.”
The core of the debate lies in the distinction that suborbital flights are not traditional space missions, as they do not reach the velocity or altitude necessary for rapid re-entry akin to NASA or SpaceX missions.
While Duffy’s department cannot officially classify astronauts, the debate continues.
Ultimately, Perry’s suborbital journey with her crew was a notable experience, and she appeared to enjoy her time in space.