The all-female Blue Origin rocket launch, owned by Jeff Bezos, has faced criticism despite receiving media attention. The Blue Origin NS-31 mission included Katy Perry, Bezos’s fiancee Lauren Sanchez, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and CBS Mornings host Gayle King. Model and actor Emily Ratajkowski expressed her disapproval of the 11-minute space flight, which included Perry performing a cover of "What a Wonderful World" and promoting her upcoming tour during zero gravity. Ratajkowski stated the flight was wasteful, considering the company's environmental impact and the resources used. The launch from west Texas, funded by the Amazon founder’s space company, was met with online criticism and memes. One meme featured a photo of Perry holding a daisy and kissing the ground upon her return, captioned in reference to airline incidents. Actor and director Olivia Wilde shared the meme on her Instagram stories, commenting on the memes. Comedian Amy Schumer also mocked the flight on Instagram, posting a video where she jokingly announced her last-minute invitation to join the mission, carrying a Black Panther toy. In another video, Schumer continued to mock the flight, sarcastically thanking Lauren Sanchez, Katy Perry, and Amanda Nguyen. Earlier in April, actor Olivia Munn questioned the purpose of the flight, stating that there are more important issues in the world. She also called the flight "gluttonous," questioning its contribution to furthering knowledge or helping mankind. Some participants have defended the launch. Gayle King responded to criticism by stating that critics do not understand the significance of the mission, highlighting the positive response from young women and girls. Lauren Sanchez added that the criticism motivated her. Sanchez invited critics to visit Blue Origin and witness the dedication of the employees and the importance of the mission. The NS-31 mission marked the 11th mission in Blue Origin’s New Shepard program, the 31st flight overall, and the first all-female mission in the company’s history. It was the first all-female space flight since 1963, when Soviet astronaut Valentina Tereshkova flew into orbit solo. Blue Origin credited Sanchez with inspiring the flight, stating that she was honored to lead a team of explorers on a mission to challenge their perspectives of Earth, empower them to share their stories, and create a lasting impact.
