Jeff Bezos’s space company, Blue Origin, recently made headlines again — not just for launching an all-female crewaboard its New Shepard rocket, but for sparking a fresh wave of conspiracy theories. One claim in particular is gaining traction online: that the spaceflight was faked, based on what some viewers are calling a suspicious “open door” or hatch-like structure on Earth seen during the launch footage.
So, did Blue Origin really fake its launch? Let’s break down the facts, the footage, and the fiction.
Where Did the “Open Door” Theory Come From?
During the replay of the New Shepard flight, eagle-eyed viewers spotted what appeared to be a dark, door-shaped areaon the Earth’s surface as seen from the capsule’s high-altitude cameras. This sparked online speculation that the background was a green screen, or that the entire flight was a simulation with pre-recorded CGI. 
Social media posts quickly went viral, with users suggesting Blue Origin staged the mission “Hollywood-style.” Hashtags like #FakeSpaceFlight and #OpenDoorTheory began trending in some corners of the internet.
What Was the “Open Door” Really?
Experts and aerospace analysts say the mysterious “door” is likely a shadow cast by a high-altitude cloud, a terrain feature, or even an optical reflection caused by the curvature of the window or camera lens.
“The human brain is wired to find patterns, even where none exist,” says Dr. Marcus Levy, an aerospace engineer and former NASA advisor. “Space footage often creates unfamiliar visuals — things like lens flares, reflection distortions, or ground patterns that can look surreal. That doesn’t mean it’s fake.”
He adds that rocket launches like Blue Origin’s are heavily monitored and recorded by independent sources, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and third-party space trackers worldwide. Faking such a launch would require an unrealistically massive cover-up involving hundreds of people across multiple sectors.
Could the Entire Launch Be CGI?
It’s unlikely. The flight involved:
- A real rocket launch visible from the ground by spectators and tracking telescopes.
- Real-time telemetry that matched historical flight data.
- Live streams from different camera angles, including on-board views, external shots, and ground tracking.
Moreover, Blue Origin’s New Shepard flights have been documented dozens of times, including past crewed and uncrewed missions. Faking all of these would be an enormous logistical challenge.
Why Do Space Flight Conspiracies Keep Coming Back?
Ever since the Apollo Moon landings, conspiracy theories have followed space programs like shadows. The reasons vary — some are rooted in distrust of government or billionaires, others in misunderstanding complex science and visuals. Space is foreign, vast, and full of strange imagery, which can lead to misinterpretation.
And in the age of social media, a few seconds of “weird” footage can go viral before experts have a chance to weigh in.
Final Verdict: No, the Blue Origin Flight Was Not Faked
There’s no credible evidence to suggest the Blue Origin launch was staged. The “open door” anomaly is a visual illusion, not a portal to a secret soundstage. While public scrutiny of billion-dollar space projects is valid and necessary, jumping to conclusions without evidence only distracts from real discussions — such as the environmental impact, equity of access to space, and the safety of commercial spaceflight.
In short: the Blue Origin launch was real, but like all things in space — sometimes the truth just looks strange.
