Beaming from the return of his fiancée Lauren Sanchez from a Blue Origin spaceflight on Monday, Jeff Bezos did a surprise pratfall. The Amazon founder, 61, was caught in a now-viral video crashing face-first while hurrying to greet Sanchez and her all-female crew featuring singer Katy Perry and TV host Gayle King.
The Blue Origin capsule had only just touched down safely in Texas following an 11-minute suborbital flight. Bezos rushed around the spacecraft to open the door, but didn't see a small ditch on the ground. The fall occurred during a live broadcast and became an instant news story and viral topic on social media.
Despite the embarrassing moment, Bezos was back on his feet within seconds and headed to the capsule. He climbed out of the hatch, embracing the returning crew. Sanchez, the pilot on the flight, got out and wrapped him in a hug.
The moment drew a wave of reactions online. Many users joked about Bezos's keenness and his clumsier-than-expected landing. One post on X (formerly Twitter) read, "Bezos was so happy to see his fiancée after landing, he fell to the ground. Billionaire machinations—grace not included." Another joked, "His workouts apparently don't consist of balance training."
Others were more forgiving, arguing that mistakes happen. "To his credit, he got back up fast as hell," one user wrote. Another said, "In his defense, he stepped in a big hole. It happens. "Happy he didn't hurt himself."
The flight was another step in Blue Origin's push to develop commercial space tourism. This mission made headlines for having an all-female crew, including some well-known women from entertainment and journalism. Khloe Kardashian and Kris Jenner were spotted also giving support to the mission on social media.
Blue Origin was started by Bezos in 2000, who has previously participated in similar spaceflights. But this mission was significant because aboard was his fiancée, a first feat of its kind for the billionaire entrepreneur.
Lauren Sanchez, a former news anchor and helicopter pilot, has become increasingly involved in aviation and space endeavors. She had announced plans to pursue a women-only space mission before, and Monday's flight brought that vision to fruition.
The trip went smoothly for the crew, but Bezos's minor mishap added an element of surprise to the celebration. Yet the moment underscored his enthusiasm and clear backing of Sanchez's space odyssey.
The moment has continued to circulate online with many calling it a "real-life rom-com moment." Some fans even said the fall made Bezos more relatable, his wealth and high-profile status be damned.
There were no injuries from the incident, and Blue Origin officials declared the space mission a success.
