The world of pop culture was recently stirred as Katy Perry, a pop singer who had seemingly faded into the background, resurfaced in the news.
Perry, known for her hits like "Teenage Dream" and "California Gurls," has now embarked on a new adventure, trading her pop star status for a brief stint as an "astronaut."
According to the Western Journal, Perry was part of the six-woman crew aboard a Blue Origin space tourist flight. The 11-minute journey was hailed as the first all-female crew to venture into the final frontier. Alongside Perry were CBS anchor Gayle King, Jeff Bezos' partner Lauren Snchez, and three other women, Kerianne Flynn, Aisha Bowe, and Amanda Nguy?n.
Blue Origin, a spaceflight company owned by Jeff Bezos, celebrated this event as a significant milestone, promoting it extensively in the media. However, the term "astronauts" used to describe the crew was met with skepticism and mockery, particularly from the Trump administration. The administration emphasized that the term "astronaut" should be used with heavy air-quotes in this context.
Perry, in her typical flamboyant style, claimed that the space journey connected her to the "strong divine feminine" in a way that meditation and the Hoffman Process, a type of intensive residential therapy, had failed to do. This unique experience, however, came with a hefty price tag of hundreds of thousands of dollars per ride and an estimated 50 tons of indirect CO2 emissions before the spacecraft even left the pad.
The criticism of the event was swift and immediate. Gayle King expressed her annoyance, arguing that calling the journey just "a ride" diminished what the crew had accomplished. However, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy countered this argument, stating that the journey was indeed a ride, and the participants were not truly astronauts.
In a post, Duffy wrote, "The U.S. commercial space industry is an inspiring project which showcases American ingenuity and exceptionalism. But the last FAA guidelines under the Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program were clear: Crewmembers who travel into space must have 'demonstrated activities during flight that were essential to public safety, or contributed to human space flight safety.' The crew who flew to space this week on an automated flight by Blue Origin were brave and glam, but you cannot identify as an astronaut. They do not meet the FAA astronaut criteria."
In essence, to qualify as an astronaut, one must have contributed to piloting the craft or conducting research, in addition to a lifetime of work and training. Simply visiting space does not make one an astronaut, just as walking through a hospital does not make one a doctor.
While the journey of these six women into space is indeed a fascinating tale, it raises questions about the commercialization of space travel and the loose use of the term "astronaut." It also underscores the need for clear guidelines and criteria for who can be considered an astronaut.
As the world continues to marvel at the wonders of space exploration, it is crucial to remember that the title of "astronaut" should be reserved for those who have dedicated their lives to advancing our understanding of the cosmos.
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