'Gluttonous': Blue Origin facing backlash ahead of all-female spaceflight NS-31
What's the story
Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos's private aerospace manufacturer and spaceflight services company, is facing backlash ahead of its historic all-female space mission.
The mission, dubbed NS-31, is scheduled for April 14 and will have a crew of six women, including Katy Perry, Gayle King, Lauren Sanchez, Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, and Kerianne Flynn.
It will be New Shepard program's 11th crewed journey, and it marks the first all-female crewed spaceflight since 1963.
Criticism
Munn questions value of space tourism amid global hardships
Actress Olivia Munn has openly questioned the worth of Blue Origin's all-female mission, considering the economic hardships many are facing worldwide.
Appearing on TODAY with Jenna & Friends, she called the venture extravagant and unnecessary, particularly as participants are said to be getting full glam for an 11-minute space trip on New Shepard.
"There's a lot of people who can't even afford eggs... I think it's a bit gluttonous," said Munn.
Pricing
Blue Origin's ticket prices remain undisclosed
While Blue Origin has not revealed its ticket prices, industry rival Virgin Galactic charges $600,000 per seat for suborbital space tourism.
The upcoming all-female spaceflight will offer some four minutes of microgravity conditions and let the crew experience weightlessness.
They can then see Earth from over 100km above the surface, resulting in a cognitive shift called the overview effect.
Mission details
Nguyen to conduct 2 science experiments in space
Civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen plans to conduct two scientific experiments during the flight. One is in collaboration with the Vietnamese National Space Center, and another focuses on women's health.
While the mission aims to celebrate female pioneers in space exploration, Munn's remarks have ignited a wider debate about high-profile space tourism's ethics and value amid increasing environmental concerns and economic disparity.