Katy Perry will be one of five women on a flight on Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. This will be the New Shepard programme’s 11th human flight, and while you may be surprised, Katy isn’t.
The 40-year-old singer revealed the news in a post on Instagram, captioning it, ‘If you had told me that I would be part of the first-ever all-female crew in space, I would have believed you. Nothing was beyond my imagination as a child.’
Why is Katy Perry going to space?
‘Although we didn’t grow up with much, I never stopped looking at the world with hopeful wonder! I work hard to live my life that way still, and I am motivated more than ever to be an example for my daughter that women should take up space (pun intended),' Katy explained on Instagram. 'That’s why this opportunity is so incredible — so that I can show all of the youngest and most vulnerable among us to reach for the stars, literally and figuratively. I am honoured to be among this diverse group of celestial sisters.’
The mum-of-one will be joined by Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos's fiancée Lauren Sanchez, CBS presenter Gayle King, former Nasa rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. The launch is expected to take place in spring 2025.
News of the 40-year-old singer’s upcoming launch has shocked fans worldwide, and one X user tweeted, ‘Katy Perry will be part of the FIRST all-female crew to go to space, this is HERSTORY.’ Another wrote, ‘Kate Perry do a performance in the 11 minutes you are on that rocket, and you’ll be the first popstar to perform in space.’
However, with every fan who posts a supportive message, there’s another who is more critical of the expedition. One Reddit user wrote, ‘Flopped so bad she’s been exiled from this earth,’ with another adding, ‘What makes her think this a good look associating herself with Jeff Bezos?’ Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, has come under fire during his reign due to questions over labour practices and environmental impact of Amazon.
Lauren Sanchez—who got engaged to Jeff Bezos in 2023— first shared her plans for an all-women crew with Vogue two years ago. Of her four fellow soon-to-be astronauts, she said they are ‘remarkable,’ and are ‘paving the way for women’.
Sanchez posted a video to social media expressing her excitement for the trip and gratitude to those joining her.
She said, ‘If someone would have told me that I would be able to go to space one day, I would have definitely, well, I don’t know, laughed. I can’t believe it’s happening. My dad used to teach people how to fly, and I used to hang around the hanger and I thought dreaming of becoming a pilot was a huge deal, and this is even bigger.
‘The incredible women that are going on this flight are extraordinary in all of their fields, but more importantly, they’re incredible storytellers.
‘So, what I’m hoping for is, this flight is not just transformative for them, but also for all of the people that they tell their story too.
‘Hopefully, it sparks that imagination to dream big and reach for the stars.’
Sarah O'Byrne is a writer for Grazia, heat, Closer, Yours, Bella, and Crime Monthly. She primarily works on celebrity and entertainment news.