Katy Perry, the global pop sensation, recently participated in Blue Origin's historic first all-female spaceflight alongside five other women, including Lauren Sánchez, the fiancée of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
The mission took place on April 14 aboard the New Shepard rocket, reaching a height of approximately 107 kilometers—just past the internationally recognized boundary of space, known as the Karman line. The entire journey lasted about 11 minutes, with the capsule safely returning to Earth under the guidance of parachutes.
However, the mission has faced criticism online, with some netizens accusing it of being staged. A widely circulated video shows the capsule's door being briefly opened from the inside after landing, only to be closed again before Bezos opened it fully with a specialized tool.
Critics argued that space capsules are typically pressurized and require external tools to unlock, suggesting that an easily opened door undermined the trip's legitimacy. Others pointed out that the capsule's exterior appeared "too pristine," showing no signs of damage from re-entry into the atmosphere.
Experts have since clarified the situation, explaining that the New Shepard mission only reached the edge of space, where the atmosphere is extremely thin but not a complete vacuum. Unlike spacecraft designed for deeper space travel, such as those heading to the International Space Station, the New Shepard capsule does not require heavily reinforced, externally locked doors. Therefore, the ability to open the door from the inside is not unusual and does not invalidate the mission.
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