Katy Perry in Space: Passenger or Astronaut on Blue Origin’s NS-31 Mission?
In April 2025, global pop star Katy Perry made headlines once again—this time, not for her music, but for her journey into space. She was part of Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission, a groundbreaking all-female flight aboard the company’s New Shepard rocket.
So, Was She an Astronaut?
Despite her incredible voyage beyond Earth, Katy Perry flew as a space passenger, not a trained astronaut. The mission was fully automated, and no one onboard was required to pilot the spacecraft. Although passengers went through safety briefings and preparation, it wasn’t the intensive training that career astronauts undergo. According to FAA guidelines, the title of “astronaut” is reserved for individuals who actively contribute to mission safety or operations. In this case, Perry and her fellow travelers were participants—not operators.
The Experience of a Lifetime
During the short suborbital flight, Perry and the other crew members spent a few minutes in zero gravity and witnessed breathtaking views of Earth from beyond the Kármán line, the edge of space. In a heartfelt moment, Perry brought a daisy onboard in tribute to her daughter, Daisy, and even sang a snippet of “What a Wonderful World” while floating above the planet. After safely returning, she kissed the ground in an emotional gesture that drew attention and sparked online conversation.
Reactions from the Public
The mission received a mix of admiration and criticism. Supporters celebrated the symbolism of an all-female crew in space, applauding the progress it represented. Others, however, viewed the flight as a glamorous adventure for the wealthy, raising questions about the purpose of celebrity space tourism. Some critics suggested the trip was more about publicity than scientific value.
Final Thoughts
While Katy Perry’s space journey was undoubtedly historic and inspiring, her role was that of a commercial passenger, not a professional astronaut. Nonetheless, her flight represents a growing era of accessible space travel—and maybe even a glimpse into the future of celebrity cosmic adventures.
I feel like Space travel is currently seen as something mainly accessible to the wealthy, raising concerns about fairness and equal opportunity. Companies like SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, and Blue Origin offer commercial flights to space, but the high price tags—often in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars—make these experiences affordable only for the rich. This creates a risk that space becomes more of a luxury adventure than a shared human pursuit. Although private spaceflight could eventually reduce costs and create more opportunities for research and education, it remains far out of reach for most people today, reflecting broader social and economic inequalities.