BBC Climate & Science Reporter
Correspondent of Science, BBC News
The pop star Katy Perry and five other women returned to Earth after reaching the space aboard the blue rocket of Jeff Bezos.
The singer was added to Bezos’s girlfriend Lauren Sánchez and CBS presenter Gayle King, who said a prominent element of the flight heard Perry Sing Louis Armstrong « What a Wonderful ».
After disembarking on Earth, Perry said he felt « super connected to life » and « so connected to love ».
The flight lasted about 11 minutes and brought the six women to more than 100 km (62 miles) on Earth, crossing the limit of internationally recognized space and giving them a few moments of weight.
Also on board was the former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, the civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen and the film producer Kerianne Flynn.
The new Shepard Rocket got up from West Texas launch just after 08:30 local time (14:30 BST).
The capsule returned to Earth with a gentle disembarkation assisted by parachute, while the booster rocket also landed in Texas.
It was encouraged from inside the capsule as the recovery crew was going to pick up.
Jeff Bezos opened the capsule door to welcome Lauren Sánchez, the first to land.
« I’m so proud of this crew, » he said with tears. « I can’t say -in words. »
She paused before adding, « I looked out the window and came to see the moon. »
« The earth seemed so calm, » he said, adding that it was not what he expected. « It was calm but really alive. »
He was then Katy Perry, who kissed the floor and raised a daisy in heaven: his daughter is called Daisy.
Dave Limp/Blue OriginGayle King also got on his knees and kissed the floor.
« I just want to have a moment on the ground, just thank the ground only a second, » he said.
The last to leave, Kerianne Flynn, said the sky and shouted, « I went to space. »
A celebrity cast had seen the launch from the ground.
Speaking from the display platform, Khloé Kardashian said, « I didn’t realize the excitement it would be, it’s hard to explain. I have all this adrenaline and I’m just here. »
« Everything you dream of is at our fingertips, especially in today’s day and age. Great dream, I wish for the stars, and one day, you may be able to be with each other, » he added.
Oprah Winfrey spoke of his friend Gayle King and revealed that he was a nervous flyer.
« I mean, for her, her way, as long as we are on a flight, is on someone’s slogan with the slightest turbulence. He has real and real anxiety when flying. And that … this is his overcoming of fear, » he said.
The spacecraft was completely autonomous, did not need pilots and the crew did not manually operate the vehicle.
Blue Origin says that the last space sense of all stool was more than 60 years ago when Valentina Tereshkova of Soviet Cosmonaut became the first woman to travel to space on a solo mission on board the Vostok 6 spacecraft.
Since then, there have been no other spaces of all female, but women have made numerous important contributions.
The space tourism industry is still in its childhood, so each successful launch is important and shows that these short and commercial commercial flights can be safely carried out.
Pictures of gettyBut some critics emphasize that it is tourism, not space science, and professional astronauts carry out missions, including scientific research, for the benefit of humanity.
« A celebrity is not an envoy of humanity; they go to space for their own reasons, » said Dr. Kai -Uwe Schrogl, a special advisor to the European Space Agency’s political affairs, at BBC News.
« These flights are important and exciting, but I think maybe they can also be a source of frustration for space scientists, » he added. « We see that spatial flight is for the science, knowledge and interests of humanity.
« The celebrities do it for fun -but they receive much more attention than the usual astronauts. »
At a press conference after the flight, two of the women questioned some of the criticism of the mission, for example, related to its cost.
« I feel that any person who criticizes really does not really understand what happens here, » Gayle King said.
He said that astronauts had a huge and positive response from young women and young girls.
Lauren Sánchez said he had « fired » on criticism and would love that the Naysayers would come to blue origin and see thousands of employees who « put their hearts and souls in the missions.
Blue Origin is a private space company founded in 2000 by Bezos, the billionaire businessman who also started Amazon.
Although Blue Origin has not launched the full prices of tickets, a $ 150,000 deposit (£ 114,575.85) is required to reserve a seat, without including the exclusivity of these first flights.
Along with its suborbital tourism business, the company also develops long -term spatial spatial infrastructure, including reusable rockets and lunar landing systems.
The new Shepard Rocket is designed to be completely reusable and its reinforcement returns to the launch pad for vertical landings after each flight, reducing the general costs.
According to North -American Law, astronauts must complete a comprehensive training for their specific roles.
Blue Origin says that their new Shepard passengers are formed for two days with a focus on physical fitness, emergency protocols, details on security measures and zero -gravity procedures.
In addition, there are two members of support known as a member of the Set crew: one provides continuous guidance to astronauts, while the other maintains the communication of the control room during the mission.
The increase in space tourism has driven criticism that is too exclusive and environmentally detrimental.
Supporters argue that private companies are accelerating innovation and make space more accessible.
Professor Brian Cox told the BBC in 2024: « Our civilization must expand beyond our planet for so many reasons », and believes that the collaboration between NASA and commercial companies is a positive step.
The exhaust of the rocket engine contains gas and particles that can affect the climate of the Earth and the ozone layer.
On their website under the title « Protection of our planet » Blue Origin states « During the flight, the only by -product of New Shepard’s combustion is the water vapor without carbon emissions. »
However, Eloise Marais, a professor of atmospheric chemistry and air quality at University College London, says that water vapor is also a greenhouse gas and is a chemical that is not supposed to be found in the upper layers of the atmosphere.
« It alters the chemistry of the stratosphere, exhausting the ozone layer and also forms clouds that affect the climate, » he says.
Experts say that as more rockets launch, the risks of harm the ozone layer increase.
High -cost tourism
The high cost of spatial tourism makes it inaccessible to most people, with these expensive missions out of reach of the majority.
Critics, including actress Olivia Munn, called into question the perspective of this particular company, emphasizing « there are many people who cannot even afford eggs », during an appearance today with Jenna & Friends.
Clock: Blue Origin Fligh moment
Kate Stephens Additonal Reports, BBC climate and science.
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