Katy Perry’s brief foray into space aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket in April 2025 was meant to be a triumphant milestone, but it spiraled into a public relations disaster that left her reputation bruised and her space ambitions grounded. The 11-minute suborbital flight, part of an all-female crew, was marred by conspiracy theories labeling it a “fake” and widespread ridicule of Perry’s theatrical antics. In a desperate bid to salvage her cosmic credentials, Perry reportedly begged Elon Musk for a SpaceX flight to prove her astronaut bona fides, only to be flatly rejected. A May 13, 2025, YouTube video titled “Katy Perry BEGS Elon Musk After FAKE Space Trip FAIL — He Said NO! SHUTS HER DOWN Over SpaceX Deal” ignited the rumor mill, claiming Musk refused her a seat on his Starship or Crew Dragon. While the story is steeped in speculation, it underscores the fierce rivalry between Bezos and Musk, Perry’s tarnished public image, and the high stakes of celebrity space tourism.

The Blue Origin Mission: A Dream Turned Debacle

On April 14, 2025, Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket launched from West Texas, carrying Perry, Lauren Sánchez (Bezos’ fiancée), CBS anchor Gayle King, former NASA engineer Aisha Bowe, activist Amanda Nguyen, and producer Kerianne Flynn. The mission, the first all-female spaceflight since Valentina Tereshkova’s 1963 solo trip, aimed to inspire women in STEM and boost Blue Origin’s space tourism profile. The 11-minute journey crossed the Kármán Line (62 miles above Earth), offering three minutes of weightlessness. Perry, who paid an estimated $28 million for her seat, sang Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” held a daisy for her daughter Daisy Dove Bloom, and promoted her Lifetimes tour setlist, actions that later drew scorn for their self-promotional tone.

The mission, livestreamed globally, was meant to be a feminist triumph but quickly unraveled. A viral clip showed the capsule door being opened from the inside post-landing, only to be shut before Bezos ceremonially opened it with a tool, prompting X users to cry “hoax.” One post read, “The door opened from inside with no tools—Blue Origin’s a scam!” Skeptics questioned the capsule’s lightweight appearance and lack of re-entry burn marks, ignoring that suborbital flights face less intense conditions than orbital ones. NASA protocols confirm capsules can be opened from both sides, but the gaffe fueled conspiracy theories, with some absurdly claiming the mission was a “satanic ritual” due to the crew’s mission patch.

Perry’s behavior amplified the backlash. Her pre-flight vow to make space “glam” with lash extensions, per Elle, and her post-landing act of kissing the ground were mocked as “cringe.” Wendy’s tweeted, “Can we send her back?” while Kesha, Perry’s rival, posted a photo sipping a Wendy’s shake, referencing their feud over Perry’s work with Dr. Luke. Celebrities like Emily Ratajkowski called the mission “beyond parody,” and X users compared Perry’s three-minute trip to the nine-month ordeal of NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, stranded on the ISS due to a Boeing Starliner malfunction. An insider told the Daily Mail Perry regretted the “public spectacle,” particularly sharing the daisy and tour setlist, wishing the footage had stayed private.

The Musk Plea: A Desperate Bid for Redemption

The YouTube video claimed Perry, humiliated by the “fake” narrative and social media roasting, reached out to Musk for a SpaceX flight to restore her credibility. Allegedly, she sought a seat on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon for an orbital mission or Starship for a future lunar trip, hoping to align with Musk’s more respected space brand. The video, echoed by X posts, claimed Musk “shut her down,” refusing to entertain a “PR stunt” that could tarnish SpaceX’s reputation. One user wrote, “Katy begged Musk for a real space trip after Blue Origin’s flop—he said no way!” Another speculated Musk rejected her due to her ties to Bezos, his rival, and her political alignment with Democrats, given Musk’s recent support for Trump’s administration.

No official confirmation from Musk, Perry, or SpaceX verifies these claims, and the story likely stems from exaggerated online narratives. However, Perry’s history with Musk lends plausibility. She’s long expressed admiration for SpaceX, appearing in a 2017 MTV VMAs skit joking about Musk sending her to Mars and supporting his 2020 Crew Dragon Demo-2 launch on Discovery’s Space Launch Live. In 2024, Musk gifted her a Tesla Cybertruck, which she posed with on X, prompting the Daily Beast to dub her his “PR shill.” Her 2017 Instagram post, “ready for mars @elonmusk,” and comments to Billboard about colonizing Mars as a “Plan B” show her fascination with SpaceX’s ambitious goals. Yet Musk’s rejection, if true, aligns with his focus on serious missions—SpaceX’s 469 Falcon 9 launches dwarf Blue Origin’s 31 New Shepard flights, and its Crew Dragon regularly ferries NASA astronauts to the ISS.

Why Musk Might Have Said No

Several factors could explain Musk’s alleged refusal. First, SpaceX prioritizes scientific and operational missions over celebrity joyrides. Its private clients, like billionaire Jared Isaacman, who funded polar orbit flights, bring substantial financial or strategic value, unlike Perry, whose Blue Origin trip was seen as a publicity stunt. A SpaceX flight, costing $50–$100 million for Crew Dragon or more for Starship, would require Perry to fund a mission unlikely to align with SpaceX’s goals, especially after her Blue Origin backlash. Musk, who has traded barbs with Bezos on X, may also have viewed Perry’s association with Blue Origin as a conflict, given their rivalry over NASA contracts and space tourism dominance.

Second, Perry’s political stance could be a factor. She performed at Biden’s 2021 inauguration and campaigned with Kamala Harris, while Musk donated $1 million to Trump’s 2025 inauguration and aligned with his anti-DEI policies. A Trump-appointed FAA official’s jab at Perry, denying her “astronaut” status, may reflect this divide, per Ars Technica. Musk, aiming to maintain favor with Trump’s administration as Jared Isaacman awaits Senate confirmation as NASA administrator, might see Perry as a liability.

Third, the Blue Origin mission’s fallout likely deterred Musk. The conspiracy theories and mockery—amplified by Perry’s ground-kissing and tour promotion—could risk SpaceX’s credibility, especially after Starship’s failed test flights in 2023 and 2024. X posts noted Musk’s “fail fast” approach, but a celebrity-driven PR disaster would be an unwelcome distraction from SpaceX’s lunar and Mars ambitions.

The Broader Context: Celebrity Space Tourism’s Pitfalls

The Blue Origin mission’s failure highlights the challenges of celebrity space tourism. Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, with 52 and dozens of passengers respectively, have democratized suborbital flights, but their $1 million-plus price tags fuel perceptions of “billionaire joyrides.” The all-female mission, meant to inspire, was criticized as “faux feminism,” per the Irish Times, with Sánchez’s inclusion tied to her relationship with Bezos rather than merit. Environmental concerns also loomed—rocket launches, even suborbital ones, emit pollutants that harm the ozone layer, clashing with Perry’s claim of benefiting Earth. X users contrasted her trip with Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which boosted local economies, arguing Perry’s flight was “useless.”

Perry’s involvement exacerbated the narrative. Her 143 album (2024) flopped, and her Dr. Luke collaboration reignited controversy, leaving her vulnerable to criticism. The mission’s marketing, from Monse’s redesigned women’s spacesuits to Perry’s “ass in astronaut” quip, was seen as tone-deaf amid economic struggles and NASA’s scrubbing of women’s contributions under Trump’s influence. Dr. Tanya Harrison of the Outer Space Institute told the BBC the mission felt like a “marketing stunt,” though it might inspire some girls to pursue STEM.

Perry’s Regret and Future

Perry’s regret, per the Daily Mail, centers on her “close-up camera moments”—the daisy, the setlist, and singing—rather than the trip itself, which she called “life-changing.” She’s since focused on personal milestones, like packing lunches for Daisy, shared on Instagram, and her Lifetimes tour, though ticket sales lag. Her fanbase, the KatyCats, funded a Times Square billboard to affirm their support, but her public image as “out of touch,” per Business Insider, persists. A future SpaceX flight seems unlikely, given Musk’s priorities and her Blue Origin baggage, but she may channel the experience into new music, as she told NPR.

Blue Origin and SpaceX: A Rivalry Intensified

For Blue Origin, the mission’s fallout is a setback. Its New Glenn rocket, launched in January 2025, aims to compete with SpaceX’s Falcon 9, but the Perry-led spectacle reinforced its “zillionaires’ thrill ride” image, per Futurism. Bezos may tighten control over future crews, avoiding celebrities prone to controversy. Musk, meanwhile, benefits from the contrast—SpaceX’s orbital missions and NASA partnerships project seriousness, though Starship’s explosions show it’s not immune to scrutiny.

The Perry-Musk saga, whether true or embellished, is a cautionary tale of fame, ambition, and the unforgiving court of public opinion. Perry’s space dream, once a “firework,” fizzled into a meme, and Musk’s rejection—real or rumored—closes the hatch on her cosmic comeback. In the race to the stars, it’s clear: not every pop star can shine.