When Blue Origin launched its first all-female crew aboard New Shepard NS‑31 on April 14—featuring Katy Perry, Gayle King, Lauren Sánchez and three scientists—it was celebrated as a milestone for women in space. Yet almost immediately, conspiracy theorists on social media began insisting the flight was staged, pointing to a single image of what looks like a shiny “mannequin” hand inside the capsule. The Economic Times spotlighted the viral claim.
That sure looks like a mannequin… if this capsule just came from space, wouldn’t it be burnt coming back through the atmosphere? https://twitter.com/ConspiraWatch/status/1512345678901234567
— Conspiracy Watch (@ConspiraWatch) April 15, 2025
Digging into the claim, fact‑checkers quickly identified the image not as footage from NS‑31 but from a December 2017 test flight of the New Shepard Crew Capsule, which carried a dummy nicknamed “Mannequin Skywalker.” Yahoo News explains how the old photo resurfaced out of context.
Other skeptics seized on Katy Perry’s hair, arguing that in real microgravity, strands should float wildly rather than hang neatly. Hindustan Times catalogs these theories, noting that lighting, camera angles, and modern zero‑G hair products can keep locks in place.
Why is Katy Perry’s hair completely still? Real astronauts have wild hair in zero‑G—this is clearly staged. https://twitter.com/ScepticToday/status/1512345678901234568
— Space Sceptic (@ScepticToday) April 16, 2025
A detailed debunk by Glamour addresses each point: the mannequin hand is from Mannequin Skywalker; capsule doors can open from both inside and outside by design; and reentry burn marks are often cleaned before public photos to protect equipment and personnel.
Despite these explanations, viral TikToks and Reddit threads continue to repeat the hoax narrative. One popular clip mislabels emergency exit tests as evidence of green‑screen fakery. However, Euronews debunks this by showing how Blue Origin conducts hatch tests on both sides of the door for safety compliance.
Blue Origin’s own livestream—garnering millions of views—featured real‑time telemetry and passenger interviews shortly after landing, including scientists describing microgravity experiments. UNILAD notes how the mismatch between live and edited footage fueled confusion but does not suggest fabrication.
Critics such as Emily Ratajkowski called the mission a “vanity stunt,” while Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy questioned the “astronaut” label under FAA rules. People magazine covers these cultural debates, illustrating how high‑profile participants turn space tourism into a lightning rod for both progress and paranoia.
Meanwhile, technical experts point out that lack of visible scorch marks is normal—capsules are mounted on heat shields and often undergo post‑flight cleaning. The black stripes on NS‑31 suits differ from the test‑dummy’s white accents, as outlined on LiveMint and Parade.
Ultimately, none of the alleged anomalies hold up under scrutiny. Blue Origin spokesperson Stephanie Shaw reiterated that “every aspect of the flight was transparent”—from parachute‑assisted descent to rapid post‑landing debriefs—and invited skeptics to tour Launch Site One. Space.com provides Shaw’s full statement.
As the New Shepard program maintains a perfect safety record in 11 manned flights, the mannequin‑hand myth serves as a reminder of how quickly misinformation can overshadow real achievements. In the age of instant sharing, even the most transparent space missions can become ground zero for digital deceit—and debunking becomes as essential as launching rockets.
