Why Are People Mad About Katy Perry Going To Space

When Katy Perry kissed the ground after returning from Blue Origin’s all-female space flight, it may have looked like a dramatic moment, but it sparked a galaxy of reactions, from admiration to outrage. While the mission made history, many wondered whether the journey was meaningful or just plain excessive.

“We Have to Protect Our Mother”

Katy Perry, known for her pop stardom and big statements, made an emotional comment before liftoff:

“It won’t be about me; it will be about this beautiful Earth. I think from up there, we will think, ‘Oh my God, we have to protect our mother.’”

Her reflection echoed sentiments shared by others who’ve made the trip. William Shatner, for example, described feeling an “overwhelming sadness” when he traveled to space in 2021. But some felt Perry’s perspective could’ve been reached without leaving the planet. As one user on X bluntly asked, “Why do you need to go into the sky/space to see this?”

Celebs Fire Back: “Why Are They Even Up There?”

Not everyone was impressed by the mission, which included Perry, Lauren Sánchez, Gayle King, and others. Celebrities like Olivia Munn, Amy Schumer, and Olivia Wilde didn’t hold back. Munn slammed the whole thing as “gluttonous,” asking on Today With Jenna & Friends, “What are they gonna do up there that has made it better for us down here?” She also pointed out the cost:

“It’s so much money to go to space, and there’s a lot of people who can’t even afford eggs.”

Wilde added her own sarcasm via Instagram, sharing a meme of Perry kissing the ground with the caption:

“Billion dollars bought some good memes I guess.”

Schumer joined in with a parody video, joking:

“I’m going to space… I was on the Subway and I got the text.”

Space Dreams vs. Earthly Problems

While the 11-minute flight marked a milestone—the first all-female crew since 1963—it also reignited the conversation about priorities. With pollution, climate change, and economic disparities growing, critics questioned the environmental and financial cost of space tourism.

Rockets, while not as polluting as airplanes, still emit harmful substances like nitrogen oxides and soot. The CBC noted launches have tripled in recent decades. Add to that the 17.2 million tons of pollution created by private jets, and people in flood-prone or storm-ravaged areas might reasonably ask: Do we really need more trips to the stars?

This isn’t Perry’s first brush with environmental controversy. Her 2023 video shoot in Spain came under fire for allegedly harming a natural park. And yet, she’s also served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and says her intentions are to inspire. She told ELLE:

“I wanted to inspire my daughter Daisy to never have limits on her dreams.”

Is It Worth It?

Gayle King defended the mission’s symbolic power:

“We can all speak to the response we’re getting from young women from young girls about what this represents.”

Sánchez, too, stood her ground, saying:

“Trust me. Come with me. I’ll show you what this is about, and it’s really eye-opening.”

Amanda Nguyen, one of the passengers, summed it up beautifully:

“I want to honor the person that I was before I was hurt.”

She brought deeply personal items into space, turning the flight into a tribute as well as a journey.

Whether you see it as a breakthrough for representation or a tone-deaf spectacle, one thing is clear: this launch sparked a cultural conversation about values, vision, and what we believe really matters here on Earth.