So, she actually did it. On a random Monday in April 2025, Katy Perry basically decided that being the Queen of Pop wasn't enough and opted for "Astronaut" instead. Sorta.
When Katy Perry comes out of the capsule in the middle of the West Texas desert, it wasn't just a move for a music video or a high-budget Super Bowl promo. It was the culmination of Blue Origin’s NS-31 mission—the first all-female crew to reach the edge of space. We've seen Perry do some wild things, like shooting whipped cream out of a bra or flying across stadiums on a giant clock, but watching her stumble out of a literal spacecraft into the dusty Texas heat felt different. It was weird. It was glamorous. And honestly, it was deeply polarizing.
The flight itself lasted about 11 minutes. You could probably finish a cup of coffee in the time it took for Perry, Lauren Sánchez, Gayle King, and three other women to blast off, hit the Kármán line, and float back down under giant parachutes. But those 11 minutes sparked a month's worth of internet drama.
The Moment Katy Perry Comes Out of the Capsule
The touchdown was soft, kicking up a massive plume of dust near Van Horn. For a few minutes, everything was quiet. Then, the recovery team moved in. Jeff Bezos himself—sporting a blue flight suit that looked a little too much like a costume—stepped up to the hatch.
There was this brief, awkward glitch where the door seemed to pop open from the inside before Bezos could "officially" open it with his specialized wrench tool. Conspiracy theorists on X (formerly Twitter) lost their minds over that. They claimed it proved the whole thing was a green-screen hoax. But for the fans watching the livestream, the real show started when the door swung wide.
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Lauren Sánchez came out first, followed shortly by Katy. The singer didn't just walk out; she practically poured herself out of the hatch. She fell to her knees and kissed the ground. You’ve seen the photos—the jewel-toned suit, the messy hair, the sheer look of "I can’t believe I just did that." She was holding a single daisy, a nod to her daughter, and told reporters she felt "super connected to love."
It was peak Katy Perry.
Why Everyone is Talking About the Suits
Forget the NASA orange jumpsuits. If you’re going to space with the fiancée of the world’s second-richest man, you’re going in couture. The crew wore custom-designed suits by Monse, the creative duo behind Oscar de la Renta.
- The Material: These weren't bulky pressurized suits. They were made of flame-resistant stretch neoprene. Think high-end scuba gear meets Star Trek.
- The Fit: They used 3D body scans to make sure every curve was accounted for.
- The Flair: There were literally zippers on the calves so the women could turn their trousers into flares once they landed.
Gayle King looked admittedly terrified for most of the pre-flight footage, but Katy was all in. She joked that they were "putting the 'ass' in astronaut." While the fashion world loved the "motocross-chic" look, actual space enthusiasts were a little more skeptical. Some called it "space tourism cosplay," especially since the flight didn't even reach orbit—it just skimmed the edge of space for a few minutes of weightlessness.
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The Backlash: Was It "End Time" Energy?
Not everyone was cheering as Katy Perry comes out of the capsule. Model Emily Ratajkowski was pretty vocal about her disgust, calling the mission "end time s***." The criticism mostly centered on the optics: wealthy celebrities spending millions of dollars to burn rocket fuel for a 10-minute joyride while the planet deals with record heatwaves and economic struggle.
It didn't help that Perry’s recent album, 143, had been struggling with critics and fans alike. One viral post joked that the album was so bad, they literally had to launch her off the planet. Ouch.
Inside the capsule, Perry apparently sang "What a Wonderful World" instead of her hit "E.T.," which felt like a missed opportunity to some and a bit "tone-deaf" to others. Then there was the investigation into her "Lifetimes" music video, which allegedly damaged protected sand dunes in Spain. The combination of environmental concerns and billionaire-funded space travel created a "fever dream" atmosphere that many found hard to stomach.
What Actually Happened Inside?
Despite the "fake hair" conspiracy theories (some people thought Perry's hair didn't float "right" in zero-G), the footage from inside the New Shepard showed a genuine sense of awe.
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- The View: The crew spent about four minutes unbuckled, looking out the largest windows ever flown in space.
- The Atmosphere: They weren't doing science experiments. They were taking selfies and looking at the moon.
- The Landing: The descent is actually pretty jarring. You go from weightless to feeling several times your body weight (G-forces) in a matter of seconds before the parachutes deploy.
When the dust settled, Katy told the press that the experience was "second only to being a mom." It was a bold statement, but that's Perry. She lives for the big, dramatic, slightly "cringe" moments that keep her name in the headlines.
What’s Next for the "Space Pop" Era?
Katy Perry has already hinted that she plans to write music inspired by her trip to the edge of the world. Whether that results in a chart-topping hit or another experimental track remains to be seen. The NS-31 mission was a massive PR win for Blue Origin, proving they can fly high-profile civilians safely, even if the "celebrity astronaut" tag still feels a bit unearned to the public.
If you’re looking to follow in her footsteps, you’ll need a few million dollars and a connection to a billionaire. For the rest of us, we’ll just have to stick to watching the high-def replays of that golden-hour landing in the desert.
Practical Takeaways from the NS-31 Mission:
- Space Tourism is Real: It’s no longer just for NASA; if you have the funds, the "Kármán Line" is the new Everest.
- Sustainability Matters: The backlash to this flight shows that the public is becoming increasingly sensitive to the carbon footprint of "vanity" projects.
- Fashion in Flight: We are seeing a shift from functional gear to "aesthetic" space-wear, which will likely influence luxury fashion trends in the coming years.
If you're curious about how this flight compares to the orbital missions of the past, look up the difference between suborbital and orbital flight. It explains why Perry was back on Earth in time for lunch while real astronauts stay up for months.