Not Katy Perry: This 90-year-old Hollywood legend went to space first, free of charge, then called it a ‘funeral’

Back in 2021, the OG Captain Kirk from Star Trek flew to space with three others on a Blue Origin flight when he was 90 years old. It was a short, suborbital journey just like Katy’s. He didn’t pay a dime for it. And for a while, he even held the record as the oldest person ever to go to space, beating Wally Funk, 82, who went just months before. Later, Shatner’s record was broken by a retired U.S. Air Force pilot. 

But contrary to what Perry felt, thrilled, glowing, kissing the ground, all that, Shatner didn’t feel any of that. He felt… empty. Heartbroken, even. Speaking to Variety at the time, he said he expected some kind of spiritual revelation up there,  a sense of connection to the universe, like in the movie Contact. But what he actually felt was grief. “But when I looked in the opposite direction, into space, there was no mystery, no majestic awe to behold… all I saw was end,” he said. Describing it as “the strongest feelings of grief I have ever encountered,” he shared how wrong he was about what space would feel like. “I saw a cold, dark, black emptiness. It was unlike any blackness you can see or feel on Earth. It was deep, enveloping, all-encompassing. I turned back toward the light of home.” Comparing the experience with death he said, “My trip to space was supposed to be a celebration; instead, it felt like a funeral.”

Also read: Katy Perry, all-female crew go to space: Is space tourism worth it?

Katy Perry and Gayle King went to space along with Lauren Sanchez, producer Kerianne Flynn, scientist Aisha Bowe, and advocate Amanda Nguyen. The trip especially attracted attention, probably because it was Blue Origin’s first all-female crew, and they soared just past the Kármán line. Though the stunt was heavily mocked by people and even some industry insiders, for Perry, it was more about love, legacy, and music. The pop star carried a flower and a photo of her daughter Daisy. She later said: “You never know how much love is inside of you, how much love you have to give and how loved you are, until the day of launch.”

Here’s a quick recap of who went when: Bezos went to space in 2021 in his own creation. Richard Branson beat him to it by a few days on Virgin Galactic. Then came Michael Strahan, former NFL player and TV host, and Emily Calandrelli in 2024, who officially marked the 100th woman in space.