Katy Perry is set to experience a ‘change that alters her mind’ when she spends just over 10 minutes in space today (14 April).
Yeah, in case you missed it, I’m being serious - the ‘Teenage Dream’ singer is genuinely part of a six-woman crew on a space flight this afternoon.
Perry was picked for the line-up by organiser Lauren Sanchez to go on her partner Jeff Bezos’ New Shepard NS-31 mission.
The 40-year-old singer previously admitted she was feeling a ‘little nervous’ ahead of joining Sanchez, CBS Mornings presenter Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, astronaut and activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn, on the short space flight from West Texas.
Advert
And it’s likely Perry will face a phenomena reported by many astronauts after visiting space, known as the ‘overview effect’.
This essentially describes the cognitive shift that people can experience as they stare down at Earth from all the way up in space.
As a result, they may report feeling 'unexpected emotions, an overwhelming sense of beauty, and an increased feeling of connection to other people and the Earth as a whole', according to King’s College London.
The overview effect has also been compared to a ‘state of awe with self-transcendent qualities' by researchers as it can can trigger an 'unexpected and overwhelming emotion' for astronauts as they realise the gravity of their role.
NASA astronaut Ron Garan experienced this profound ‘overview effect’ after spending 178 days in space as he realised ‘we’re living a lie’ on Earth.
"I saw the unbelievable thinness of our planet's atmosphere. In that moment, I was hit with the sobering realisation that that paper-thin layer keeps every living thing on our planet alive,” he told the Big Think.
"I saw an iridescent biosphere teeming with life. I didn't see the economy. But since our human-made systems treat everything, including the very life-support systems of our planet, as the wholly owned subsidiary of the global economy, it's obvious from the vantage point of space that we're living a lie."
Well, while she’s only set to spend 11 minutes up there rather than days and months, it’ll be interesting to find out what the ‘E.T.’ singer sees – maybe she’ll discover ‘a whole ‘nother world’.
Taking to Instagram yesterday, Perry wrote: “I’ve dreamt of going to space for 15 years and tomorrow that dream becomes a reality.
“I am so honoured to be alongside five other incredible and inspiring women as we become the first ever all-female flight space crew!”
And while her ‘astronaut girly friends’ are sitting in the spacecraft, Perry plans to ‘sing in space’. Lucky them!
The trip is set to launch at 2.30pm BST (8.30am local time) and is expected to last around 11 minutes, and pass over the Karman line – an invisible boundary 62 miles (100km) above Earth.
Topics: Celebrity, Jeff Bezos, Katy Perry, Space, Celebrity News
Jess Battison