As the Blue Origin capsule arced past the Kármán line this week, carrying a group of well-known, immaculately styled women on a brief jaunt into space, headlines burst with delight and derision. Was this a triumph of female empowerment or a cosmic publicity stunt dressed in designer shapewear?
A “Historic” Flight? Or Just a Parody?
Lauren Sánchez, fiancée of billionaire Jeff Bezos, gathered an ensemble of notable women — including pop star Katy Perry, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, journalist Gayle King, and activist Amanda Nguyen — for Blue Origin’s latest suborbital mission. The self-proclaimed all-female flight was lauded as a milestone. But what was its real message?
Katy Perry proclaimed she was putting “the ass back into astronaut,” while Sánchez promised “lash extensions flying in the capsule.” The suits? Tailored by Oscar de la Renta. The undergarments? Kim Kardashian’s shapewear. The mission? Less clear.
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Despite the inclusion of a former NASA scientist and a civil rights leader, this 11-minute cruise over Earth felt more like a luxury influencer activation than a celebration of science or progress. The Guardian called it “a party in space.” The Atlantic dubbed Perry “the perfect pop star for a dumb stunt.” Pitchfork declared: “In space, no one can hear you girlboss.”
And indeed, for many women in science, this wasn’t a moment of empowerment — it was a moment of parody.
What About the Real Issues Women Face?
Here’s the problem: the empowerment of women isn’t achieved by launching a select few into space in form-fitting suits. As New York Times columnist Jessica Grose pointed out, a woman wanting to spotlight systemic inequality has no shortage of material — from the gutting of reproductive rights to the rollback of childcare support and the purging of women from scientific institutions.
NASA’s own chief scientist Katherine Calvin was recently dismissed under the Trump administration, which has also overseen the dismantling of diversity and inclusion policies at the space agency. These are the kinds of issues that truly affect the future of women in science and exploration — not whether their curls hold up in zero gravity.
Space Should Inspire Awe, Not Ads
This was not exploration. It was tourism.
Blue Origin’s flight was billed as the first all-female space mission in decades, yet it was primarily a commercial flight — a high-altitude jaunt gifted by a billionaire to his social circle. As Sánchez said to Elle, she hoped it would inspire “the next generation of explorers.” But that’s hard to square with footage of pre-flight blow-dries and comments about wardrobe consultations.
This was not Sally Ride breaking barriers. It was a bachelorette party among the stars.
Real space exploration is driven by science, not selfies.
The Lost Opportunity for Perspective
Perhaps the greatest tragedy of this flight was the absence of reflection. The “overview effect” — that soul-stirring shift in awareness astronauts often describe when they see Earth from above — seemed missing here. Except for a brief note from Gayle King, who remarked on the peace and quiet of space, few of the passengers articulated anything beyond the surface.
When asked what space was like, Sánchez said: “I can’t put it into words, but we got to see the moon.” That’s it. No reverence. No awe. Just glam.
Contrast this with Carl Sagan, the famed astronomer who prompted NASA to turn the Voyager 1 probe around to capture the image of Earth from 6 billion kilometres away — a tiny speck suspended in a sunbeam. His reflection, known as The Pale Blue Dot, remains one of the most powerful meditations on the fragility and unity of our planet.
Let us revisit his words, because they capture what this moment could have been:
“Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us…
Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark…
There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world.
To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly and compassionately with one another and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.”
Who Is Space For?
Ultimately, the question is not whether women belong in space — they do, and have proven it for decades. The question is who benefits from these flashy, hollow ventures? The answer: billionaires, brand builders, and maybe a few Instagram followers.
Real exploration — and empowerment — requires more than expensive rocket rides and influencer optics. It requires equity, opportunity, humility, and courage.
As we watch commercial space tourism take off, we must ask ourselves: Are we exploring the cosmos to understand and protect our home? Or are we simply projecting our egos further and further from Earth?
If we are to journey into space meaningfully, let it be with eyes wide open, hearts attuned to the wonder of the universe — and the wisdom of Sagan ringing in our ears.
