While only some 700 humans have ever been to space across the history of mankind, that number is set to soar as the likes of Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin push the idea of 'space tourism'. In the aftermath of pop diva Katy Perry making a trip to the cosmos (although she was actually only in space for four minutes), there's plenty of intrigue about how much it costs to go up there.
Unfortunately, unless you have someone like Perry's net worth, you might not be able to afford to go on a Blue Origin trip.
The historic all-female crew took off with Perry journalist Gayle King, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, research scientist Amanda Nguyen, businesswoman Kerianne Flynn, and Bezos’ fiancée, Lauren Sánchez.
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Things went off without a hitch on April 14, and as well as going viral for Perry for kissing the ground when she returned, everyone is asking how much it cost.
Blue Origin has been sending flights since 2021, with the inaugural one including Bezos himself and making Star Trek's William Shatner the oldest man to ever travel to space.
Despite a pause following a mission failure, it's business as usual.
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The previous mission was in February 2025 and boasted the likes of venture capitalist Lane Bess and adventurer Jesús Calleja.
Although it's not been revealed how much it would've cost to secure a seat next to Perry and co. on Blue Origin NS-31, Blue Origin spokesperson Bill Kircos told CNN how "some passengers" flew "free of charge," while others had to pay.
The site notes that Blue Origin's rival, Virgin Galacti,c advertises similar ticket sales for between $250,000 and $450,000.
We know it can cost a not-so-small fortune to fly with Blue Origin, with a 2021 auction of a seat on its first commercial flight going for a jaw-dropping $28 million.
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The winner eventually pulled out because they couldn't make it, and while the ticket went to the next highest bidder, it's claimed that they paid a similar amount.
Elsewhere, Foundation for the Future co-founder Tim Chrisman says that a board member paid $1 million to fly with Blue Origin.
Roman Chiporukha, co-founder of space travel booking company SpaceVIP, reiterated to Observer that it's not about how much money you have but about who you are: "It’s not about money; it’s about who you are, your social capital, whether you align with their launch purposes. It’s kind of a package deal."
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Still, it could be a lucrative move for Perry to raise her profile following the disappointing sales of her "143" album.
Soaring above us all and singing Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World." Perry was asked why she didn't sing one of her own songs, with King telling critics in an April 14 livestream: "We’ve been asking her to sing all the time, and she wouldn’t. Everybody said, ‘Sing ‘Roar.’ Sing ‘Firework.’ And she said, ‘It’s not about me. I wanted to talk about the world.'"
There have been plenty of critics of Bezos and of Blue Origin's flight in general, with many arguing that the money should be spent on other humanitarian causes instead of splashing it on fancy space tourism. Still, expect more celebrities to soon reach for the stars.