This week, a high-profile Blue Origin suborbital flight captured global attention as it marked the first all-female civilian crew to journey briefly into space. The flight, which lasted approximately 11 minutes, included a group of six women from various professional backgrounds: pop star Katy Perry, television host Gayle King, journalist and philanthropist Lauren Sanchez, film producer Kerianne Flynn, activist Amanda Nguyen, and aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe.
The crew members were filmed during the short mission, which offered them a few minutes of weightlessness and panoramic views of Earth before descending back to the surface. Blue Origin’s flight was part of the company’s ongoing initiative to promote space tourism and celebrate what it described as “historic firsts.”
✨ Weightless and limitless. pic.twitter.com/GQgHd0aw7i
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) April 14, 2025
While the event was widely praised in some circles for its symbolic representation of female achievement in the space sector, it also drew criticism from an unlikely source — other women in the entertainment industry. Several actresses and public figures expressed skepticism about the significance of the flight and questioned its broader purpose and environmental implications.
Actress Olivia Munn, speaking on the program Jenna & Friends hosted by Jenna Bush Hager, questioned whether the flight truly qualified as historic. “What’s the point? Is it historic that you guys are going on a ride? I think it’s a bit gluttonous. Space exploration was to further our knowledge and to help mankind,” Munn said. “What are they gonna do up there that has made it better for us down here?”
Olivia Munn called out the all-female Blue Origin space mission with Katy Perry, Lauren Sanchez, and more, emphasizing that there are “many other things that are so important in the world right now.” pic.twitter.com/mc90qD2hnv
— E! News (@enews) April 5, 2025
Actress and director Olivia Wilde also weighed in via her Instagram account, posting a meme that featured Katy Perry dramatically kissing the ground upon return. Wilde captioned the post, “Billion dollars bought some good memes I guess,” suggesting that the mission offered entertainment value rather than meaningful scientific or societal contributions.
Olivia Wilde criticizes the Blue Origin space trip:
“Billion dollars bought some good memes I guess” pic.twitter.com/qMLFhrSupr
— Pop Base (@PopBase) April 14, 2025
Model and author Emily Ratajkowski offered a more direct critique in a video message, expressing concerns about the environmental cost of space tourism. “This is beyond parody,” she said. “Saying that you care about Mother Earth and it’s about Mother Earth and you’re going up in a spaceship that is built and paid for by a company that is single-handedly destroying the planet.”
Ratajkowski also referenced resource allocation and the current state of global affairs. “Look at the state of the world and think about how many resources went into putting these women in space, for what?… I’m disgusted.”
Emily Ratajkowski says she’s ‘disgusted’ by the Blue Origin space trip:
“Look at the state of the world and think about how many resources went into putting these women in space… for what?” pic.twitter.com/i9rRrWvSei
— Pop Base (@PopBase) April 14, 2025
In response to the criticism, Gayle King addressed the backlash during a press appearance following the flight, suggesting that much of the criticism was “sexist.” She did not elaborate on specific comments or individuals but maintained that the mission had symbolic importance and that the scrutiny applied to it might not have been the same had the participants been men.
Gayle King: It’s sexist to call our space ride a space ride pic.twitter.com/hBBYKdOzJW
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) April 15, 2025
Blue Origin has not issued a formal response to the controversy but reiterated in a statement that the flight was intended to inspire future generations and promote inclusion in space travel. The company also stated that more missions featuring diverse crew members are planned in the coming months.
The debate surrounding the flight reflects broader questions about the role of private space tourism, its environmental footprint, and the cultural significance of such missions in an era marked by global challenges and evolving public expectations.
