Overview

• Blue Origin's NS-31 mission marked the first all-female spaceflight since 1963, with a crew including Gayle King, Katy Perry, and Lauren Sánchez.
• The 11-minute flight has drawn sharp criticism, with detractors calling it wasteful, self-indulgent, and environmentally irresponsible.
• Gayle King defended the mission, emphasizing its role in inspiring women and young girls to pursue STEM fields and extraordinary achievements.
• King also argued that space exploration can complement Earth-based environmental solutions and dismissed the criticism as dismissive and uninformed.
• The debate continues, with public and celebrity voices questioning the mission's value in the face of pressing global challenges.