Out of Touch, Out in Space: The Overview Effect
By Iris Vaughn
Why a pop singer, journalist and movie producer went on a mission to space for such a short period of time is beyond me- unless the goal was to send a valuable message and use the platform these women have to say something we will unfortunately hear louder than it coming from anyone else—even qualified astronauts.
Image Credit: Blue Origin
On April 14th, 2025, six influential women went to space for approximately eleven minutes. Katy Perry, Gayle King, Lauren Sánchez, Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, and Kerianne Flynn were the participants in Blue Origins space trip. This group of women are the first all-female crew in Blue Origins history- which would be incredible if the discovery from such an escapade was not so out of touch.
The goal on this mission was not to explore or to reflect but rather to exploit the experience and commodify space. The resources and energy that went into an eleven-minute experience is not only harmful to our environment but extremely distasteful. The social media press and push to view this privileged experience as anything but aloof has entirely missed the mark. I believe this spectacle had the potential to say something valuable that has long been unknown to the majority of the public known as the overview effect. Yet for all the noise, the message fell flat. What could have been a transformative moment rooted in reflection and connection with Earth became instead a commodified spectacle. Rather than fostering awareness, the mission reinforced distance -from both the planet and its people.
Image Credit: Elle Magazine
While space is heavily embedded in pop culture- I never imagined it would ever be actualized. The influence that women in these creative industries have is both powerful and alarming but unfortunately no real message has been propagated. The voice that has been loudest since the experience has been pop singer Katy Perry. She claims that this experience is “about making space for future women and taking up space and belonging”. While I care deeply to empower women- I find it increasingly more valuable to care for earth and the women inhabiting it.
Image Credit: Blue Origin
Viewing Earth from space is a rare and remarkable experience- one that has been captured by astronauts and causes a mental shift known as the “Overview Effect”. The Overview Effect is an emotional shift that happens when humans view Earth from Space. This experience causes overwhelming negative emotions as they recognize what humanity is doing to our planet. Frank White is a space philosopher and author of The Overview Effect in 1987 and has claimed this cognitive shift is centered in “Truth, Love and Identity”. When Katy Perry claims to “never know the amount of love that you have inside of you until the day you launch” she is not entirely off yet misses the point entirely. This mission could have been an opportunity to spread a message to pop culture consumers everywhere that something that initially was an incredible opportunity has turned into a reflection of our planet and a push to rather than expand into space- care for what we already have.
Image Credit: Smithsonian
Space travel has the potential to change hearts and minds. The Overview Effect is proof of that. But only if those who experience it return not just starry-eyed, but clear-eyed -ready to advocate for Earth, not escape it.
