- READ MORE: Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez are not astronauts
Eco warrior Katy Perry is facing criticism as a ' hypocritical figure' following revelations Monday's Blue Origin space mission emitted large quantities of greenhouse gases.
Climate specialists calculate that the 11-minute journey released approximately 1,102 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, akin to operating a gasoline-driven vehicle for about 2.5 million miles.
Online, A video featuring Perry has become extremely popular online. showing the popstar lecturing the world about climate change in 2015.
"Hello, this is Katy Perry. Join me as we explore how anthropogenic climate change is adversely affecting children across the globe," she stated in the video segment prepared for the event. UNICEF .
Perry mentioned that carbon emissions were leading to severe tropical storms in the Philippines, catastrophic floods in Bangladesh, and fatal cases of malaria in Africa, coinciding with when the video came out.
The video was uploaded onto X following Perry’s return from her space journey, causing an uproar when she made those comments. The mission aimed at benefiting Earth. .
" safeguarding our planet starts with saying no to generating hundreds of tons of CO2 for an absurd flight arranged by one of the largest polluters on this very planet," remarked a user on X.
While Jeff Bezos 'A rocket emits water vapor as a byproduct, which leads to almost no direct carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. However, according to scientists, this emission still has the potential to deplete the ozone layer and acts as a potent greenhouse gas.'
Eloise Marais, who holds a position as a professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Quality at University College, London , told BBC 'It changes the chemical makeup of the stratosphere, reducing the ozone layer, and also creates clouds that influence the climate.'
Numerous X users stated they never wish to encounter another celebrity preaching about climate change and rescuing the Earth.
'Katy Perry kissed the earth and said, "We need to save our Mother Earth"' after she traveled to space for half a minute To boost her album release, she might have created a gap in the ozone layer and endorsed one of the firms accountable for Earth’s degradation… It’s a matter of choice," noted a user.
Blue Origin claims that its New Shepard rocket, which transported the women to space, is powered by the highly efficient combination of liquid oxygen and hydrogen.
According to the company’s website, during space flights, "the sole output from New Shepard's engine combustion process is water vapor, producing zero carbon emissions."
Although the rocket doesn’t emit carbon, the water vapor released into the stratosphere, which spans from six to 31 miles above Earth’s surface, can last for several years.
It captures heat better at higher altitudes, which exacerbates global warming.
Additionally, the processes involved in farming and production contribute to the emission of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases.
While Blue Origin has released official numbers, data from a 2023 UN report suggested that building a small rocket like New Shepard (which carries about 1,100 pounds of payload) results in around 42 tons of carbon emissions per vehicle.
During Monday’s launch, Perry, who is engaged to Bezos, along with Lauren Sanchez, television host Gayle King, civil rights advocate Amanda Nguyen, ex-NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, and film director Kerianne Flynn ascended over 62 miles beyond Earth's surface.
While Perry and her team admired the vistas of Earth from orbit, she performed "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.
When questioned about her choice of that particular song, Perry stated: "It revolves around the beautiful world we observe and cherish. Everything here is aimed at benefiting our planet."
Perry has devoted years to advocating for action on climate change. In 2013, she was appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador with the aim of shedding light on how climate change impacts the most vulnerable groups globally, particularly children.
She cautioned that climate change would only intensify, urgently appealing to the globe to "'please alter the prediction alongside me.'"
Although she received accolades for the campaign half a decade ago, the Blue Origin mission seems to contradict it now.
During liftoff, the rocket's single BE-3PM engine fired and began blasting the crew into space at 9:30am ET.
Using a blend of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen as fuel, the engine produced approximately 110,000 pounds of thrust.
Within minutes, the rocket hit speeds exceeding 2,000 miles per hour - over twice the speed of sound.
Both the capsule and the crew will experience extreme forces when the rocket reaches its peak structural load, referred to as Max-Q in aerospace terminology.
As per Blue Origin, Perry and her fellow space travelers encountered forces three times greater than Earth's gravity during the acceleration phase of the booster.
The capsule touched down only a few miles away from where it was launched, ensuring a safe return for the team following a successful journey shortly after 9:40 am Eastern Time.
This marks the first all-women space mission since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova conducted a solo flight into space in 1963.
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