On April 14, Blue Origin launched its first all-woman journey to space. The crew included singer Katy Perry, broadcast journalist Gayle King, journalist and philanthropist Lauren Sanchez (also the wife of Jeff Bezos), film producer Kerianne Flynn, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe and bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyễn. While the trip marked a milestone as the first all-woman flight to space since 1963 it also sparked significant controversy.
The flight lasted 11 minutes; the premise of the trip was for the crew to experience weightlessness and see Earth from space.
While it marked a historic moment as the first all-woman flight to space since 1963, it also drew attention to how few women have been to space. According to CNN, only 15% of the more than 700 people who have traveled to space have been women.
Controversy
The mission provoked a lot of controversy because of its premise. Many questioned why a group of people were sent to space with no purpose beyond experiencing weightlessness and seeing Earth. There was no scientific benefit to sending these women into space.
Environmentally, Blue Origin claims that the mission and the spacecraft were sustainable, as the rocket produces no carbon emissions and was designed to release only water vapor. However, anything that shoots that high into the atmosphere at such a rapid speed can still contribute to global warming, as it can turn into nitrogen oxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to the warming of the Earth.
Responses
The crew has faced a lot of backlash since the flight. Many people have criticized the fact that they were able to take part in the mission, especially considering the high cost and the public hasn’t reacted well to it.
As well as being a huge greenhouse gas emitter, the space tourism industry is very inaccessible to most people. Tickets to last week’s Blue Origin trip required $150,000 for a deposit alone. In the midst of global political unrest, a climate catastrophe, and the cost of living crisis, it’s no surprise that an interstellar media stunt in a Trump-adjacent billionaire’s rocket hasn’t been too well received!- Curious. Earth
Exploring space is a privilege and should be used only for scientific research. Given the political unrest, the cost of living crisis and the rate of global warming, it’s hard to justify sending people on tourist trips to space.
Let us know your thoughts by tagging at @VALLEYmag on X!
