Pop star Katy Perry has sung in space after blasting off aboard Amazon owner Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket. She held hands with the rest of the female crew and prayed ahead of lift off, with one yelling “look at the moon!” in excitement during the flight itself.
The Teenage Dream singer, 40, set off on the 11-minute flight with author Lauren Sanchez, 55, TV host Gayle King, 70, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, 33, rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, 38, and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn, 57.
The group screamed with joy throughout their journey after they launched into space at 9.30am eastern time – 2.30pm UK time – from Blue Origin’s launch site in Van Horn, Texas, and on landing minutes later. But there was also a poignant moment on board as Perry sang “What A Wonderful World.” Speaking after landing, Perry, 40, said she felt “connected to love” and described herself as the “crier of the group”.
READ MORE: Katy Perry Blue Origin flight: Live Updates
She went on: “I think this experience has shown me you never know how much love is inside of you, like how much love you have to give, and how loved you are until the day you launch.” Katy went on to admit that she sang one song in space that she felt was only right – and it wasn’t one of her own hits. Instead, she belted out Louis Armstrong’s classic ‘What a Wonderful World’.
Asked about her reason for choosing the classic song, Katy explained: “I’ve covered that song in the past and, obviously my higher self is always steering the ship, because I had no clue that once day I would decide to sing a little bit of that in space. But I think that it’s not about me, it’s not about singing my songs.
“It’s about a collective energy in there, it’s about us, it’s about making space for future women and taking up space and belonging and it’s about this wonderful world that we see right out there, and appreciating it. This is all for the benefit of Earth.”
After the rocket lifted off, mission control could be heard saying it “looks good” as the rocket reached “supersonic” as it soared into the skies, while Perry could be heard cheering onboard. The two craft then separated at 28,000ft as they reached space and Perry exclaimed “oh my god” as she was shown the moon.
Katy was heard screaming: “OMG guys I peed my pants” as the Blue Origin was on it’s way back to Earth. When she landed back on soil, Katy hopped out of the vehicle and kissed the ground. In a beautiful nod to her daughter Daisy, 4, Katy also held a daisy up to the sky which she had brought with her on her history-making mission.
Mission control announced “booster touchdown” as the ship descended on to the launch pad, while the astronauts came down cheering in a separate craft with a parachute attached. A puff of smoke blew up as the crew hit the ground, and Katy’s daughter Daisy could be seen watching on, as safety crews rushed to the ship.
Katy explained her reason for taking the daisy to space as she said: “Daisies are common flowers, but they grow through any condition,” explained Katy Perry, whose daughter is also named Daisy. “They grow through cement, they grow through cracks, they grow through walls, they are resilient, they are powerful, they are strong, they are everywhere.
“Flowers, to me, are God’s smile, but it’s also a reminder of our beautiful Earth and the flowers here and God’s smile and the beautiful magic that is everywhere, all around us, and even in a simply daisy. So to really appreciate it, and remember it and protect it.”
After travelling to space, Katy also said that now being an astronaut is the second-most important thing in her life – besides being a mum to daughter Daisy, 4. “This experience is second to being a mum… and that’s why it was hard for me to go, because that’s all my love right there,” Perry explained. “And I have to surrender and trust that the universe is going to take care of me and protect me and also my family and my daughter because I am full up from being able to get that gift of being a mum and to go to space is incredible and I wanted to model courage and worthiness and fearlessness.”
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