Blue Origin was forced to remove a celebratory video featuring astronaut Emily Calandrelli after the footage received inappropriate and offensive comments online. Calandrelli, an MIT engineer and science communicator, was part of the New Shepherd spacecraft’s ninth human test flight and became the 100th woman in space. While many viewers praised her achievement, trolls flooded the post with derogatory, sexualized remarks about women in space.
In the video, Calandrelli emotionally described her experience, comparing the awe of seeing Earth from space to the joy of motherhood. “It was the same feeling I got when my kids were born,” she said. The barrage of hateful comments deeply affected her, leading to tears on her flight home. However, she received a touching message from a flight attendant, urging her not to let the negativity diminish her accomplishments.
Calandrelli later shared a defiant response, writing, “I refuse to give much time to the small men on the internet… This joy is tattooed on my heart.” Fans rallied around her, calling her an inspiration and expressing outrage at the need to remove the video. Many praised her courage and emphasized the impact she has on encouraging women and young people to pursue STEM and space exploration.
Despite the negativity, Calandrelli’s milestone and candid reflections have struck a chord, highlighting both the challenges women face and the importance of celebrating achievements in the male-dominated space industry.
