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All-Female Crew’s Brief Space Trip Sparks Debate
A recent suborbital spaceflight by an all-female team aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft, featuring pop star Katy Perry and other prominent women, has ignited discussions about the value of space tourism. The 11-minute journey on Monday became the subject of both praise and critique, highlighting the ongoing debate surrounding commercial space ventures.
Star-Studded Crew and Launch Details
The accomplished crew of Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission included singer Katy Perry, author Lauren Sanchez, aerospace expert Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics specialist Amanda Nguyễn, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and news anchor Gayle King. The group journeyed to the launch site in Rivian electric vehicles and ascended to the capsule via an elevator. Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin’s founder and Sanchez’s fiancé, personally accompanied them to the rocket for the brief flight, which lasted approximately 11 minutes. During the livestream, Perry reportedly sang “What a Wonderful World,” though audio quality issues occasionally hampered clear audibility.
Historic Significance and Jeff Bezos’s Mishap
This mission marked the first all-female space voyage since Valentina Tereshkova’s groundbreaking solo flight in 1963, when she became the first woman to travel to space. Upon the crew’s return, Bezos greeted them at the landing zone. Video footage circulating on social media captured Bezos stumbling and nearly falling, an event that rapidly gained traction online.
Social Media Reactions and Flight Justification
One user on X commented, “I could watch Jeff Bezos faceplant repeatedly,” reflecting the widespread sharing of the incident.
Flight Criticism and Defense
Public discourse surrounding the flight commenced even prior to liftoff. During an April 3rd appearance on the Today show, actress Olivia Munn voiced skepticism, questioning the mission’s purpose and relevance given pressing global issues. Munn described the event as “a bit gluttonous.”
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Adding to the criticism, fast-food chain Wendy’s engaged with Perry on X. Wendy’s initially posted “Can we send her back?” followed by a tweet featuring a photo of Perry kissing the ground with the caption referencing her song “I Kissed a Girl.” When another user questioned the flight’s duration, Wendy’s responded, “don’t short change her it was 11 minutes” in a sarcastic tone.
Crew Members Defend Mission
In response to the criticism, the crew members defended their spaceflight. Gayle King stated in a post-flight press briefing, “I’m not going to let you steal our joy.” She emphasized that many people were supportive and recognized the mission’s importance for inspiring young individuals. Aisha Bowe, the aerospace engineer on board, highlighted the scientific value of the trip, asserting, “We advanced science today.” Bowe explained that the mission facilitated data collection on human physiology and other areas, contributing to scientific knowledge and potentially enabling more researchers to conduct experiments with Blue Origin in the future. She affirmed, “We are inspiring the world right now.”
Relive the Launch
The New Shepard spacecraft launched from West Texas around 8:30 a.m. CT on Monday. A replay of Blue Origin’s mission livestream is available on YouTube for those wishing to revisit the event.
Watch this: Re-watch Blue Origin’s Successful All-Female Spaceflight
Defining the Boundary of Space
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Blue Origin’s New Shepard ascending from Texas.
The delineation of space remains a topic of ongoing discussion. While the International Space Station’s location in space is universally acknowledged, the categorization of commercial suborbital flights like Blue Origin’s is less clear-cut. The Karman line, positioned 62 miles above Earth, serves as a commonly used demarcation.
NASA acknowledges the lack of a definitive boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space, but notes that the Karman line is widely accepted within the scientific community as the transitional altitude to space. Therefore, barring nuanced debate, the recent Blue Origin flight did provide Perry and her fellow crew members with a brief experience in space.
The women achieved weightlessness after the spacecraft surpassed the Karman line. The return to Earth involved a controlled, parachute-assisted descent of the crew capsule.
This flight represented the 11th human mission for the New Shepard program. Blue Origin has now transported 52 individuals into space, including notable figures like William Shatner from Star Trek, Michael Strahan of Good Morning America, and Jeff Bezos.