Blue Origin, the space travel company owned by Jeff Bezos, has been taking passengers up to space since 2021 — but its latest trip didn’t resonate with everyone.
On April 14, Blue Origin launched its most recent flight, NS-31, which made headlines with its all-female flight crew.
The rocket had six passengers: singer Katy Perry, broadcast journalist Gayle King, philanthropist Lauren Sánchez (the fiancée of Bezos), former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen and film producer Kerianne Flynn.
The voyage lasted under 11 minutes total, as the rocket traveled up to the edge of space before returning to Earth. While the trip wasn’t the first of its kind, it sparked different reactions with celebrities speaking out about its cost and the privatization of space travel.
At a press conference following their landing, PEOPLE asked King about the reaction to the Blue Origin mission. The CBS Mornings co-host said, “Anybody that’s criticizing it doesn’t really understand what is happening here.”
So why is the latest Blue Origin flight facing backlash? Here’s everything to know about the mission and what the crew members have said in response to the criticism.
What is Blue Origin?
Blue Origin flights are space tourism, aiming to give more people the opportunity to travel high above the Earth’s surface.
“We’re building a road to space for the benefit of Earth,” reads the mission statement on the company’s website. Other objectives include “radically reduce the cost of access to space” and “harness the vast resources of space.”
The April 14 flight was the 11th human space mission for Blue Origin and their 31st overall. The previous manned launch was on Feb. 25. According to its website, the company has “flown 58 people to space, including four people who have flown twice.”
Blue Origin has not disclosed how much a seat on its rocket costs, but in order to begin the process of making a reservation, its website states that they require a “fully refundable deposit” of $150,000.
Before the April 14 trip, other celebrities who have traveled to space on a Blue Origin flight include Star Trek alum William Shatner and Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan.
Who was on the latest Blue Origin flight?
The most recent Blue Origin flight occurred on April 14 and had an all-female crew of six.
The passengers included pop superstar Katy Perry, CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King and philanthropist Lauren Sánchez.
The other three members aboard were former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen and film producer Kerianne Flynn.
“I have wanted to go to space for almost 20 years. I was investigating all of the possible commercial options,” Perry told Elle ahead of the flight. “Even when Blue Origin was first talking about commercial travel to space, I was like, ‘Sign me up! I’m first in line.’ ”
Flynn echoed a similar sentiment, saying, “When this opportunity came along, especially to be part of a historic all-female crew, I felt honored and excited.”
“I can’t wait to touch down on Earth and share what we bring back with the world,” she added.
Why are celebrities criticizing Blue Origin?
Even before the launch of Blue Origin flight NS-31, notable figures criticized the mission for several reasons, pointing to how it privatizes space travel and the alleged environmental impact.
While co-hosting the April 3 taping of Today with Jenna and Friends, actress Olivia Munn questioned the trip’s purpose. “What’s the point? Is it historic that you guys are going on a ride?” she said. “I think it’s a bit gluttonous.”
Munn continued, “Space exploration was to further our knowledge and to help mankind. What are they gonna do up there that has made it better for us down here?”
Other celebrities who have spoken out include Emily Ratajkowski, Olivia Wilde, Amy Schumer, and even the fast-food chain Wendy’s.
Jessica Chastain also joined the critics. On April 17, the Oscar-winning actress shared an op-ed from The Guardian on X, titled, “The Blue Origin flight showcased the utter defeat of American feminism.”
How did the Blue Origin crew members respond?
At a press conference following their return to Earth, the Blue Origin crew addressed the comments made about their voyage.
“We can all speak to the response we’re getting from young women from young girls about what this represents,” King said.
Sanchez added, “I get really fired up about this. I would love to have them come to Blue Origin and see the thousands of employees that don’t just work here but they put their heart and soul into this vehicle. They love their work and they love the mission, and it’s a big deal for them.”
Being a former NASA rocket scientist, Bowe chose to focus on how the mission helped space research.
“We advanced science today,” she explained. “More people are going to be able to do meaningful research with Blue Origin because we collected data. … We contributed to the knowledge base of what people know about women. … We are inspiring the world right now.”
In an interview with Extra, King commented, “I know there are some haters, but I’m not going to let people steal my joy, and steal the joy of what we did or what we accomplished that day. I’m just not going to let it in.”
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