Katy Perry and the space mission: “I am happy to be able to inspire girls and entice them to take space in life and society”

This afternoon at 15.30 (Italian time zone) the suborbital aircraft New Shepard by Blue Originthe company of Jeff Bezoswill start from Texas to the space with six women on board. In addition to the future Mrs. Bezos and pilot and entrepreneur Lauren Sánchezthe space engineer former member of NASA Aisha Bowe, astrophysics Amanda Nguyen, the journalist of CBS Gayle King, the Kerianne Flynn journalist and the singer are part of the expedition Katy Perry.

The pop star is undoubtedly the most famous ofcrew, the first only female after the solitary orbital flight of the Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Turesthkova in 1963and precisely by virtue of his planetary notoriety he has already been playing the charge for some time, dragging the colleagues and fans with his enthusiasm who will follow it in the company.

Yesterday, on the occasion of what we imagine it was the day of reconnaissance before the big event, he turned on the smartphone inside the capsule that will host the explorers Spatials, showing the followers his workstation and places where together with his colleagues he trained in these days, in order to be ready to when the spacecraft is detached from the ground. “I have dreamed of going to space for 15 years and tomorrow that dream will become reality”, reads the caption, completed by a moving reflection that Perry makes it a voice: “I will not say that I cannot believe I am here because I think that believing in one’s dreams is actually the way in which dreams then become reality”.

Kidding the six space explorers in the various press conferences on the eve have shown themselves to be eager to “Bring the glam to space” And we have no doubts that it will be like this, even if from the release of the news Katy Perry has always kept us to move the focus of the question of other things compared to sequins and sequins.

“If they had told me that I would be part of the first all -female crew in space, I would have believed it because even if I did not grow up with much, as a child I never stopped looking at the world with hope and wonder – he also declared thinking about his daughter and All the girls who today will be with their noses upwards hoping one day to make the same tripor to realize the dream they carry in the heart, whatever it is. – I am more than ever motivated to be an example for my daughter on the fact that women should occupy space».

A play of words wanted to emphasize gratitude towards an opportunity that has chosen not to live as a personal privilege but as an act aimed at creating a previous inspirational. «This opportunity is so incredible, I can show all the youngest and most vulnerable among us who can reach the stars, literally and figuratively. I am honored to be between this varied group of celestial sisters ».

Dialogue with theAssociated Press The pop star had also said of wanting to complicate with itself for pushing themselves where not everyone would do it. “Every day I tell myself: ‘You are courageous, you are bold, you are doing it for the next generation, to inspire so many different people, but above all the girls, to say:’ I will go to space in the future ‘”, also adding to be enthusiastic about the engineering appearance of the spacecraft and not to see time to know more about it on STEM subjectsso as to be able to speak to young people from all over the world.

Girl power and sisterhood They have always been essential social cornerstones for Katy Perry, who has often sung them in his songs and who also in this case claims firmly. A few weeks ago the fully crew, after long videothelefonate, has finally met live. The flight lasts about 11 minutes and will bring the crew more than 100 km above the earth, crossing the boundaries of the space recognized internationally and giving the crew some moments of absence of gravity.

Still, not everyone has applauded. Some scientists and activists have criticized the mission as Luxury Space Tourismin which the scientific value is marginal and the protagonism of the celebrities risks transforming the space into a red carpet stage. Then there is the question environmental. Spatial launches – even the “short” ones – have a non -negligible impact: release of CO₂, consumption of resources, particulate emissions in the stratosphere. In an era in which the climatic crisis is a global priority, there are those who ask themselves whether to fly in space for a few minutes really worth the candle. The defense of Blue Origin? The use of “relatively clean” propellers and the fact that the mission can inspire investments in the sciences. But the debate remains open.