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Katy Perry’s Suborbital Flight Ignites Space Mission Hoax Conspiracy Theories
Pop star Katy Perry’s brief journey to the fringes of space has triggered a whirlwind of outlandish conspiracy theories. Following her suborbital flight aboard the Blue Origin New Shepard spacecraft, reaching an altitude of 66.5 miles, social media platforms erupted with bizarre claims. Skeptics and online communities have baselessly suggested the space venture was an elaborate fabrication, dismissing it as a ‘Hollywood fake’ with poorly rendered CGI by supposed ‘fake space agencies’.
Claims of Staged Spaceflight Spread Online
Internet users, acting as amateur investigators, pointed to perceived inconsistencies such as a ‘flimsy’ capsule door, a ‘suspiciously stiff hand’ within the spacecraft, and even Perry’s seemingly static hair in microgravity as ‘definitive proof’ of a staged event. Some extreme conspiracy theories even posited the entire launch was a ‘satanic ritual’ orchestrated by Perry and Jeff Bezos.
Despite the lack of factual basis for these assertions, experts suggest the fervent reaction is understandable. Dr. Daniel Jolley, a conspiracy psychology specialist from the University of Nottingham, explained to MailOnline: “This space flight combines two elements ripe for conspiracy theories: space exploration and celebrity culture.”
(L-R) Kerianne Flynn, Katy Perry, Lauren Sanchez, Aisha Bowe, Gayle King, and Amanda Nguyen stand before Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-31 rocket before their brief suborbital mission. The flight generated a wave of conspiracy speculation online.
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Katy Perry theatrically kissed the ground upon returning after a mere three minutes in space.
The Blue Origin NS-31 mission launched on Monday at 8:30 AM local time from Launch Site One in West Texas, carrying Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez, Perry, Gayle King, Kerianne Flynn, Amanda Nguyen, and Aisha Bowe. Although the 11-minute flight was broadcast live and meticulously documented, suspicions of a staged event have taken hold online.
Capsule Door Controversy: Did Crew Open Hatch from Inside?
Following the New Shepard capsule’s landing, Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos ceremoniously opened the spacecraft hatch using a specialized tool to greet the all-female crew. However, earlier footage appeared to show the capsule door being opened from the inside before swiftly being closed again. This sequence of events was immediately seized upon by online conspiracy theorists as ‘undeniable evidence’ of a fabricated mission.
While the veracity of the Blue Origin rocket’s flight into space is not in question, the incident highlights the tightly controlled nature of the post-landing proceedings.
A perceived inconsistency: the all-female crew of Katy Perry’s spaceflight appears to briefly open the capsule door from within moments after landing, before quickly shutting it.
For those already skeptical of the mission, Jeff Bezos’s seemingly staged hatch opening served as further ‘proof’ of a hoax.
One online commentator remarked, “It was staged. The women initially opened the door from the inside without tools. Then, after a pause, Jeff Bezos arrived with a tool and pretended to unlock the latch.”
Another user added, “This fake content needs to be shared widely. The door opens from the inside, then they are instructed to close it because supposedly only an outsider can open it.”
Another post stated, “This is so fake. Notice the door being opened from the inside first; then a tool is needed to open it from the outside.”
The central point for theorists was the assumption that a pressurized cabin should not feature an inward-opening door accessible to passengers.
As the video clip gains traction online, more individuals are considering the possibility that Katy Perry’s space trip was an elaborate deception.
Standard spacecraft typically employ outward-opening doors requiring external technician teams for access. For instance, the return of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams in the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule showed engineers laboring to open the hatch. In contrast, the seemingly effortless opening of the New Shepard capsule door fueled suspicions.
On social media platform X, one user questioned the capsule’s integrity: “Doesn’t resemble a pressurized hatch. Looks more like a flimsy entrance.”
The ‘Fake Hand’ Claim: Misidentified Image Sparks Fakery Accusations
Observant social media users spotted what they believed to be a prosthetic hand inside the New Shepard capsule carrying the all-female crew. This observation rapidly amplified conspiracy theories.
Online conspiracy theorists allege spotting a ‘fake hand’ within the Blue Origin capsule that carried Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez to space.
X users highlighted the ‘hand’ image as supposed evidence of mission fakery.
Social media users, already inclined to believe the spaceflight was a hoax, quickly interpreted the image as definitive validation of their theories. On X, a commenter inquired, “Why is there a dummy hand on the Blue Origin flight?”
“That definitely looks like a mannequin, a shiny hand,” another user concurred.
One user humorously chimed in, “Hey! Is that a Barbie hand, or maybe Ken’s?”
However, responses correctly identified discrepancies between the hand in the image and those of the NS-31 crew. The image originated from a 2017 test flight of the New Shepard Crew Capsule 2.0, which featured a mannequin, nicknamed “Mannequin Skywalker.” Publicly available videos and reports from the 2017 launch confirm this detail.
Even a cursory comparison between the 2017 test flight and Perry’s recent journey reveals they involved different capsules.
While conspiracy theorists correctly identified a fake hand, the image is not from Monday’s launch but from a 2017 test launch featuring a mannequin aboard a New Shepard capsule.
The 2017 capsule featured blue lettering, while the NS-31 crew capsule clearly displays black lettering. Furthermore, wider views of the 2017 test flight show only a single mannequin, unlike the six crew members on the recent NS-31 mission.
Katy Perry’s Hair in Space: Gravity Questions Raised
Skeptics also fixated on Katy Perry’s hair, asserting it did not exhibit the expected floating behavior in microgravity. They contrasted it with the famously unrestrained hair of NASA astronaut Suni Williams during her ISS missions.
For some online observers, the absence of floating hair was further indication of a fabricated mission.
Suni Williams’s distinctive vertical hairstyle even drew the attention of former President Donald Trump, who referred to her as the “woman with the wild hair.”
One skeptical user complained, “The real astronaut lady that SpaceX rescued had her hair completely standing up. This is obviously fake.” Suni Williams gained considerable public recognition following an extended stay of over nine months on the ISS due to delays with the Boeing Starliner capsule. Her persistently vertical hairstyle became so recognizable that it was even commented on by President Donald Trump.
However, numerous social media users pointed out the differing circumstances. The NS-31 crew experienced only a few minutes of weightlessness. One X user posted, “Look at their hair. Then compare it to Sumi’s [sic] in space. Completely fake.”
Another confused user added, “I have long hair… underwater my hair flows and moves with the water’s currents… None of that is visible in these fake space photos.”
This criticism overlooks the straightforward explanation that Perry and her crewmates likely styled their hair before the brief flight. Williams, in contrast, spent months on the ISS with limited access to hygiene facilities, explaining the difference in hair appearance.
Satanic Ritual Allegations Surrounding Mission Patch
The mission patch worn by Perry and the other five women, designed by Blue Origin, incorporated symbols representing each crew member. However, conspiracy theorists interpreted the design as depicting Baphomet, a demonic figure.
The Blue Origin mission patch worn by Katy Perry and her crew has sparked unfounded accusations that the flight was a ‘satanic ritual’.
X users claimed the patch resembles the figure of Baphomet, a demon, when inverted.
Baphomet, typically depicted as a goat-headed humanoid figure, holds associations with the Church of Satan and various occult traditions. An X user stated, “Did you notice the logo on Katy Perry and her fellow Blue Origin space travelers’ patch is the satanic goat with an upside-down cross if you flip it over?”
Others condemned Blue Origin for “mocking God,” asserting, “this isn’t science, it’s a ritual.” Another user posted, “Goat horns. Celebs. Fake space,” concluding with the Bible verse 2 Corinthians 11:14: “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
Baphomet, often represented as a goat-headed figure with a human body, is linked to the Church of Satan and other occult and pagan practices.
Another user suggested Perry touching the patch after ringing a pre-launch bell was part of the ritual, interpreting it as pledging allegiance to Baphomet.
Contrary to occult interpretations, Blue Origin explains the patch design features a spaceship surrounded by symbolic elements specific to each crew member: a star, firework, film reel, shooting star microphone, Flynn the Fly, and scales of justice.
One X user claimed, “Katy Perry going to space was another psy-op… They are mocking people… ‘6’ women in ‘space’ wearing the baphomet symbol.” The number six is often associated with negative connotations in some belief systems.
Another user alleged Perry’s hand placement on the patch after ringing a bell pre-launch was a ritualistic act: “Katy Perry swearing her allegiance by placing her hand adoringly & lovingly over her Baphomet logo. They reveal their worship in numerous ways,” they posted.
Others referenced Perry’s “E.T.” music video, noting a scene depicting her with goat legs. However, no evidence supports claims that the patch is based on Baphomet.
Blue Origin has detailed the intended meaning of each symbol: the firework represents Perry’s “global influence across music, pop culture, and philanthropy” and alludes to her hit song “Firework.” Flynn the Fly, the main character from Sánchez’s book, appears in the top left corner, and a film reel represents Flynn’s profession as a filmmaker.
King’s symbol is a microphone, signifying her role as a CBS host. Nguyen’s activism is represented by the scales of justice, and Bowe’s passion for science by a star.