Katy Perryis thought be ‘regretting’ the press frenzy that surrounded Amazon’s Blue Origin trip to the edge of outer space.
The 40-year-old pop star was among a six-woman celebrity team who took part in the latest mission for Jeff Bezos’ rocket company.
Perry was joined by presenter Gayle King, journalist and Bezos fiancée Lauren Sánchez, rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.
The brief jaunt became the first all-female space mission since 1963, when Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to leave earth in a solo flight.
The 6-strong team became the first all female space flight since 1963
Amazon / Blue Origin
After a short timebobbing around in zero gravity, the six-strong team returned to Earth with the semi-automated capsule landing back on Bezos’ private Texas ranch from which the rocket had launched.
While the scenes on the ground were joyous, the mission has received a raft of criticism and mockery from celebrities and fans alike.
Actress Olivia Munn blasted the venture as “gluttonous” on Today With Jenna and Friends, questioning it an indulgence when “some people can’t afford eggs.”
Fellow actress Olivia Wilde reposted a picture of Perry celebrating the mission, cynically captioning it: “Billion dollars bought some good memes, I guess.”
Perry reportedly regrets the Daisy, in reference to her daughter, being shown on camera
Blue Origin
Perry’s fellow astronaut Gayle King took a stronger line on critics, hitting back that she was “very disappointed and very saddened” at the backlash.
“They call it a ride, which I find very irritating because they never say men went for a ride,” she pointed out.
The presenter then put the case forward for the outing.
“Number one, Blue Origin is trying to figure out a way to put waste into space to make the Earth better,” King stated firmly.
She then issued her direct challenge: “Number two, have you been? Have you been? If you’ve been and you still feel that way after you come back, please, let’s have a conversation.”
King emphasised there was “nothing frivolous” about the mission, pushing back against those who dismissed the historic flight.
