Women in space: beyond PR stunts, is it a step forward for the planet?
25 apr. 2025
09:04
Space tourism has returned to the headlines with Jeff Bezos’ all-female Blue Origin flight – an event celebrated by some as empowering and criticised by others as little more than a high-altitude PR stunt.
Yet behind the social media storm, a deeper conversation is unfolding: can space tech meaningfully contribute to solving problems back on earth?
Yet behind the social media storm, a deeper conversation is unfolding: can space tech meaningfully contribute to solving problems back on earth?
You’re unlikely to have missed the debates — from global talk shows to impact influencer posts on LinkedIn. The BlueOrigin flight, which featured celebrities like Katy Perry and US morning news host Gayle King, was pitched as historic: the first all-female commercial mission to space.
But Blue Origin’s approach raised eyebrows. GeekWire journalist Aaron Cohen called the launch a “Jupiter-sized faceplant,” while Guardian columnist Moira Donafan criticised celebrities for taking up most of the seats, rather than experts who had dedicated their lives to research. She argued the women had leaned on "girlish silliness" to promote the mission – hair and makeup tips included.