When Katy Perry joined a group of women on a recent spaceflight, it could have easily been dismissed as another celebrity headline. But her journey — and her decision to sing What a Wonderful World while floating above Earth — reflects a much deeper shift in how we think about space, access, and influence.
Just a few decades ago, space travel was reserved for career astronauts, mostly men, with military or scientific backgrounds. Today, we’re seeing public figures from entertainment and media experience space firsthand. It may seem like a novelty, but this moment represents a broader trend: the slow but steady democratisation of space.
Space Travel, Then and Now
In 1914, air travel was a luxury for the few. A flight from Tampa to St. Petersburg cost $400 — around $12,000 in today’s money. Over time, it evolved into a mode of transport for millions. Space could follow a similar path. While current tickets cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, the pace of innovation suggests prices will eventually drop, and accessibility will rise.
That’s what makes moments like Perry’s space trip more significant than they seem. They help shift public perception. When well-known personalities share their experience, they help turn abstract ideas — like space tourism or off-planet living — into something people can imagine and talk about.
The Overview Effect
There’s also a psychological dimension. Many astronauts have spoken about a profound shift in perspective after seeing Earth from space — known as the Overview Effect. It’s the realization of how interconnected and fragile our planet truly is. Perry echoed this, saying she felt “super connected to life” after her flight.
This change in perspective isn’t just personal. It has the potential to reshape how we see global issues — from conflict to climate — if more people experience it and share it widely.
Balancing Hype and Reality
Of course, space tourism raises real questions. It’s currently expensive and environmentally taxing. At the same time, many of the technologies being developed for space — like satellite systems — are already being used to monitor the environment, respond to disasters, and improve communication worldwide.
According to researchers, every $1 invested in basic space research could return $40 in economic benefits here on Earth. That doesn’t solve every problem, but it shows that innovation in space can contribute meaningfully to life on the ground.
What Comes Next?
The key challenge now is not if space becomes more accessible, but how we ensure it’s developed responsibly. Will future space experiences remain limited to the wealthy, or will they open up to a broader public? Can the industry avoid the environmental pitfalls that early aviation didn’t? These are the questions that need to be part of the conversation today, while the space tourism industry is still growing.
As more people — from different backgrounds and professions — go to space and talk about it, we may see a collective shift in how we view our world. And in a time when global challenges feel overwhelming, a fresh perspective might be exactly what we need.
