What was meant to be a historic and empowering all-female trip to space has taken a strange turn online—thanks to an unexpected source of speculation: the crew’s mission patch.
Pop superstar Katy Perry, along with five other high-profile women, recently boarded a Blue Origin rocket and soared into space, but their celebratory moment has been clouded by wild conspiracy theories circulating on social media.
The Patch That Set the Internet on Fire
The controversy started when sharp-eyed users on social platform X began dissecting the design of the patch stitched on the women’s space suits.
While Blue Origin described the patch as a symbolic tribute to each crew member, conspiracy theorists weren’t buying it.
Some insisted the patch looked suspiciously like Baphomet—a goat-headed figure often tied to occult imagery—and claimed the patch featured hidden satanic symbols when flipped upside down.
One user even wrote, “Did you notice the logo on Katy Perry and her fellow Blue Origin space travelers’ patch is the satanic goat with an upside-down cross if you flip it over?”
Accusations of a “Satanic Ritual” in Space
The claims didn’t stop there. Critics accused Blue Origin of mocking religion and turning a scientific mission into what they called a “ritual.”
Others referred to the launch as a government “psy-op” and claimed the number of women on board—six—was a hidden reference to the Devil. One viral post dramatically declared, “Celebs. Goat horns. Fake space. This isn’t science, it’s a ritual.”
Katy Perry, of course, was in the spotlight. Some even said her act of placing her hand over the patch before takeoff was her way of swearing allegiance to the symbol.
Others referenced her old “E.T.” music video where she ends up with goat legs—using that as supposed “proof” that she’s always hinted at occult symbolism.
What the Patch Actually Represents
Contrary to the wild theories, Blue Origin released a breakdown of the actual meaning behind the mission patch.
Each icon was carefully chosen to honor the unique contributions and passions of the six women:
- Katy Perry: A firework symbol, representing her global pop influence and her hit song “Firework.”
- Lauren Sánchez: A cartoon fly named Flynn, from her children’s book.
- Kerianne Flynn: A film reel for her work as a filmmaker.
- Gayle King: A microphone, tying into her role as a CBS host.
- Amanda Nguyen: Scales of justice, symbolizing her civil rights activism.
- Aisha Bowe: A star, nodding to her background as a NASA rocket scientist and passion for STEM.
Space Style and Symbolism
The women also rocked sleek, form-fitting blue space outfits, designed by Sánchez, with the patch stitched near the heart.
While it was meant to be a stylish and meaningful detail, it only fueled more speculation online.
Adding to the drama was Perry’s butterfly-shaped setlist, which she held up during the trip.
Some conspiracy theorists claimed it symbolized “MK Ultra Mind Control”—a long-debunked theory tied to a real CIA project from the 1950s and ’60s.
To them, the butterfly represented a secret message about mental control and psychological manipulation, despite no evidence backing that idea.
Reality vs. Conspiracy
At the end of the day, Blue Origin’s mission was an 11-minute flight that took the women 62 miles above Earth.
They experienced a brief window of zero gravity and created a moment of female empowerment and unity in the space industry.
But on social media, facts sometimes get drowned out by fiction.
In this case, what should’ve been a celebration of science and progress has turned into a bizarre debate about hidden symbols and secret messages.
For now, though, Katy Perry and the rest of the crew appear unfazed, continuing to shine above the noise—literally.