Celebrity Passenger List of All-Women Blue Origin Space Mission That Includes Katy Perry, Gayle King Sparks Wave of Backlash
Blue Origin's upcoming space mission featuring an all-female crew, including pop star Katy Perry, television host Gayle King, and media executive Lauren Sanchez, has sparked an intense online debate.
While the flight is being promoted as a landmark moment for women in space travel, critics on social media have been quick to mock the endeavor, with many directing sexist and dismissive remarks at the participants.
The six-member crew, set to embark on the 11th crewed flight of the New Shepard rocket, also includes former NASA engineer Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics scientist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. While Blue Origin has not confirmed the launch date, the mission is scheduled to take place this spring.
The passengers will experience a short, suborbital journey beyond the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space, before returning to Earth in a capsule guided by parachutes.
Despite the mission's significance, the announcement was met with an influx of negative reactions online.
Users posted a barrage of derogatory comments. One user, Joe Miller (@joemill37087868), quipped, "6 women on a rocket ship 🚀?" Another, Ted Arnold (@tedarnold378719), mocked, "No touching the controls!" Similarly, Paul G (@Paulgman47) added, "Sure hope none of them are driving."
Or, ya know, give the opportunity to the female engineers that help make Blue Origin possible. That sounds more qualified to be labeled as a historic all-women mission.
— Nick (@nikesmtx) February 27, 2025
The dismissive comments continued, with Darren "Garbage" Anderson (@Omegadarren) sarcastically asking, "Holy cow! Does it fly itself? Hopefully there is no parallel parking required in space." Others questioned the legitimacy of the mission's historic significance, with JeffO (@JeffOstler1) writing, "What is historic about a group of rich women becoming space tourists?" Meanwhile, Nick (@nikesmtx) criticized the selection of the crew, stating, "Or, ya know, give the opportunity to the female engineers that help make Blue Origin possible. That sounds more qualified to be labeled as a historic all-women mission."
What is historic about a group of rich women becoming space tourists?
— JeffO (@JeffOstler1) February 27, 2025
While these remarks reflect a broader pattern of resistance to women's achievements in traditionally male-dominated fields, the mission itself represents a significant moment in space travel history. The all-female crew follows in the footsteps of previous high-profile Blue Origin passengers, such as William Shatner, Michael Strahan, and company founder Jeff Bezos.
Despite the online backlash, Perry, King, and Sanchez have not publicly commented on the criticism. As Blue Origin moves forward with its plans, the mission is expected to generate continued debate, both as a step forward for gender representation in spaceflight and as a lightning rod for cultural discourse on women's roles in science and technology.
