CGI, Water Tanks, and Rituals: The Blue Origin^® Conspiracy

It was supposed to be a history-making moment: six trailblazing women, including a pop icon and a major news anchor, launching into space aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin^® rocket. A milestone for female empowerment? Maybe. But for conspiracy theorists across the web, it was something else entirely — a hoax of astronomical proportions.

From whispered suspicions of water tanks and green screens to outright claims of satanic ritual, the mission's authenticity is being dragged through the social media mud. Buckle up — this ride is about to hit escape velocity.

A Rocket Fueled by Fame, Billionaires... and Doubt

On March 14, Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket lifted off from its Texas launchpad, carrying an all-female crew — a first for the private space company. The passengers included:

• Katy Perry, global pop superstar.
• Lauren Sánchez, journalist and fiancée of Bezos himself.
• Gayle King, respected CBS Mornings host.
• Amanda Nguyen, civil rights activist.
• Aisha Bowe, former NASA^® rocket scientist.
• Kerianne Flynn, film producer.

For 11 minutes, they floated in weightlessness, just past the Kármán Line, the official threshold of space, before safely parachuting back to Earth. Cameras rolled. Media outlets celebrated. Fans gushed. But in certain corners of the internet, alarm bells rang.

CGI or Zero Gravity?

As footage from the mission hit social platforms, a tidal wave of doubt followed.

Claims poured in, suggesting the space flight never left Earth — or even the soundstage. In an article by the Daily Mail, online skeptics called it a "Hollywood fake," with one user claiming it featured "the worst CGI any of these fake space agencies has produced."

Other theorists reported on by the Economic Times, alleged the entire mission took place in a studio, with at least one person saying, "Katy Perry and the other celebrities are actually in a Hollywood movie studio inside a pool, not in space."

The 'Satanic Space Ritual' Theory

As the skepticism spiraled, it took on a darker tone.

Some online theorists, reported by the Daily Mail, declared the launch a "satanic ritual," with some citing antisemitic ideas as proof as one commenter wrote, "Satanic rituals in the middle of Passover to show they mock God — what else would Katy Perry and co be doing at the week of Passover?"

Another commenter said, "Katy Perry has been part of the Satan scandal bs for a while now. Ask why... why these women? Why all female? Why space?"

Attention turned to the NS-31 mission patch, a stylized symbol worn by all participants. Critics claimed — when flipped — it resembled a goat's head with an upside-down cross. Was it satanic symbolism or just stylized graphic design? To believers, it was clear confirmation.

So... Was It Real?

Yes, the Blue Origin flight happened.

The NS-31 mission launched at 8:30 a.m. from Launch Site One near Van Horn, Texas. It reached an altitude of 107 km (66.5 miles), crossing the Kármán Line, and returned 11 minutes later. The crew experienced four minutes of weightlessness and emerged safe and smiling — some even glamorously so.

Footage of the launch was streamed live. Journalists and celebrity guests like Oprah and the Kardashians attended. Katy Perry reportedly sang "What a Wonderful World" in space. There was even a daisy — plucked from Earth and raised triumphantly upon landing.

And yet, the conspiracy lives on — proof, perhaps, that in the age of spectacle, doubt travels as fast as a rocket.

References: Conspiracy theorists claim Blue Origin mission was FAKE - as sceptics claim rocket launch with Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez had 'the worst CGI' | Was Blue Origin's star-studded space flight a Hollywood hoax? Netizens run wild with CGI conspiracy theories | Do the all-female Blue Origin rocket crew count as astronauts? And what Katy Perry sang in space