Video of Vietnamese-American Amanda Ngoc Nguyen’s Blue Origin flight fuels ‘faked mission’ conspiracy theories

Skeptics pointed to a viral clip in which the crew is seen opening the New Shepard capsule door moments before Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who owns Blue Origin, approaches and seemingly unlocks it with a wrench-like tool, according to New York Post.

Critics on social media argued the capsule should only open from the outside due to safety protocols involving pressurized cabins.

"I’d say this is the nail in the coffin. FAKE!" one user posted on X.

Another added: "Capsule’s hatch is designed to be opened from the outside by the recovery team after landing, as a safety measure to ensure controlled and secure egress."

The all-female crew of the Blue Origin's spaceflight on April 14, 2025. Photo courtesy of Blue Origin

Some users questioned how the capsule remained visibly clean after re-entry. "The paint on the capsule is not even slightly scorched," one wrote. Others doubted the authenticity of the flight’s visuals, claiming only the "weightlessness" footage, achievable in a plane, was shown.

As speculation spread, experts said such events offer fertile ground for conspiracy theories.

"Space is vast, complex and largely inaccessible to most people - in this context, it becomes easier for some individuals to question the official narrative," said Dr. Daniel Jolley, a psychology professor at the University of Nottingham, in a statement to the Daily Mail.

Professor Karen Douglas from the University of Kent added: "Psychological research suggests that people are attracted to conspiracy theories when one or more fundamental psychological needs are frustrated. The first of these needs are epistemic—related to the need to know the truth and have clarity."

She explained that in the absence of clear explanations for events like the capsule door opening, people often seek alternative narratives to regain a sense of certainty.

"Anyone can fall into conspiracy theories if the circumstances are right," she said.

In reality, Nguyen and five other crew members aboard the New Shepard — including TV host Gayle King, singer Katy Perry and Bezos’s fiancée Lauren Sánchez— lifted off from West Texas on Monday at 9:31 a.m.

The event marked the first all-female spaceflight in more than 60 years.

The team experienced a brief period of weightlessness before safely returning to Earth in a flight lasting approximately 11 minutes, according to a livestream from Blue Origin, the space company founded by Bezos.