With just eleven minutes in space and only 62 miles above earth, Katy Perry’s expedition to space has left an undeniable impact. On April 14, 2025, Katy Perry joined five other high-profile women, including TV host Gayle King and journalist Lauren Sánchez, strapped into a Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket to reach the Kármán line.
This once in a lifetime experience came with a sky high price tag with each individual seat being quite costly and exclusive to millionaires. Imagine the advancements possible with the money wasted on this journey—especially considering the platform and outreach that all of these celebrities have. Ms. Palekar, a ninth grade biology teacher agrees with this and when asked, “Do you think the money used for celebrity space flights could be better spent helping the planet?” She responded, “Absolutely, space travel is very expensive and we should be trying to reduce carbon emissions. This is preventing that.”
While this may have been an amazing experience for all of the women on board, does the joy and prestige outweigh the environmental consequences and missed potential that these celebrities wasted?
Perry’s journey was revolutionary, so why did she receive such an overwhelming amount of criticism after fulfilling her childhood dream of going to space? One major factor behind the backlash was the excessive price and exclusivity of the trip. While the original deposit made by each passenger was reportedly $150,000—rumors suggest that the participants paid between $30 million and $220 million per seat. For reference, that is $20 million per minute spent in space.
Keeping these flaws in mind, let’s dive deeper into the most impactful consequences of the trip: its effects on climate. While Blue Origin claims that “the only byproduct of New Shepard’s engine combustion is water vapor with no carbon emissions,” many professors and scientists beg to differ. Eloise Marais, a professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Quality at University College London, points out a major flaw in the Blue Origin’s statement. She explains that water vapor is, in fact, a greenhouse gas, and when released into the upper layers of the atmosphere it can be particularly damaging. It “alters the chemistry of the stratosphere, depletes the ozone layer, and also forms clouds that affect climate,” she says.
Though, it’s not just about the rocket’s launch, even building the spacecraft takes a toll on the planet. Blue Origin uses materials such as titanium and aluminum, which require a great deal of energy to mine and process—often using fossil fuels. Numerous amounts of tests were needed to ensure the rocket was safe, each consuming large amounts of energy, and unfortunately, fossil fuels. Blue Origin is knee-deep in environmental controversy and Katy Perry seems eager to promote them. She is giving her fans a real reason to turn against her and what she stands for.
As we reach the warmer months of the school year, there is a constant reminder of just how hot Mamaroneck gets in the summer. This is especially felt in many classrooms throughout the school, and encouraging space travel might indirectly impact us on a deeper level as space travel causes the climate to change.
Even though most of us aren’t launching rockets or spending millions, we still play a role. When asked how students can make a difference when it comes to climate change, even if they’re not celebrities or scientists, Ms. Palekar said, “I think awareness is the most important thing. Your generation is doing much better than our generation but everyone just needs to be educated and aware of what is going on.”
That awareness matters, especially when the effects of climate change are already being felt in our daily lives. Taking an end of year exam while sitting in a hot, stuffy classroom is no one’s cup of tea, but these nightmares might become reality if regulations are not put on the growing industry of space travel.
