Katy Perry reaching space, When will ordinary civilians be able to successfully go?

Katy Perry participated in a spaceflight aboard the "New Shepard," a spacecraft operated by Blue Origin, the space company founded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos.

 

/AFP BBNews

 

This mission was the first American civilian spaceflight composed entirely of women: Katy Perry, Jeff Bezos’s fiancée Lauren Sanchez, CBS news anchor Gayle King, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, film producer Keriann Flynn, and activist and scientist Amanda Nguyen.

 

Launched from Texas on April 14, 2025 (local time), the flight lasted about 10 minutes, reaching an altitude of 107 km—crossing the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space—where the crew experienced weightlessness before safely returning to Earth.

 

After returning, Katy Perry said, “It felt like immersing myself in an unknown world. I truly recommend this experience,” and revealed that she plans to create a new song inspired by her journey.

 

Source: Blue Origin

 

This was the first all-female spaceflight in 62 years, since Valentina Tereshkova’s mission for the Soviet Union in 1963. The flight holds symbolic significance in the history of space travel, representing progress in closing the gender gap and expanding opportunities for women in space.

 

Katy Perry and the other participants expressed hope that “many young girls will see us and dream about their own futures.” While some skeptics questioned whether the experience was much different from a theme park ride, the mission is recognized as a true spaceflight, having crossed the Kármán line, the internationally accepted boundary of space.

 

Source: Blue Origin

 

 

Training for Spaceflight

• Learning the structure of the New Shepard spacecraft and safety procedures
• Instructions on posture and actions during launch and landing
• Safety guidelines and movement in a weightless environment
• Emergency response training (such as emergency evacuation and oxygen mask use)
• Communication and teamwork exercises inside the spacecraft

 

Jeff Bezos’s Future Plans for Blue Origin

• Commercialization and Expansion of the “New Glenn” Heavy Reusable Rocket:
  In January 2025, Blue Origin successfully launched the “New Glenn” heavy reusable rocket into orbit for the first time. The company plans to use this rocket for satellite launches, national security missions, Amazon’s Kuiper internet satellites, and other commercial payloads. New Glenn is designed to compete with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, aiming to reduce launch costs and increase launch frequency.

 

• Building Space Infrastructure and Moving Industry Off-Earth:
  Blue Origin is working on large-scale space infrastructure projects, such as O’Neill cylinders, with the long-term vision of enabling a trillion people to live throughout the solar system.

 

• Expanding Government Contracts with NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense:
  Blue Origin is focusing on securing government contracts, including NASA’s Artemis lunar lander (Blue Moon) and national security launch contracts with the Department of Defense. New Glenn is also seeking certification for the U.S. Space Force’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program.

 

• Development of the Commercial Space Station “Orbital Reef”:
  In partnership with Boeing, Sierra Space, and others, Blue Origin is developing the commercial space station “Orbital Reef,” which will be used for research, tourism, and space manufacturing. With NASA’s support, the goal is to begin full-scale operations after 2027.

 

• Increasing Production and Launch Efficiency:
  Since 2025, Blue Origin has shifted its strategy from research and development to mass production and frequent launches. The company is streamlining its organizational structure and improving efficiency in production and launches. Recent CEO changes and workforce reductions are part of this strategic shift.

 

• Long-Term Vision:
  Jeff Bezos has stated, “Blue Origin will be the best business I’ve ever been involved in,” emphasizing that the company’s top priority is building long-term space infrastructure and enabling humanity’s expansion into space, rather than focusing on short-term profits.