Wendy's praises Katy Perry after 'can we send her back' space tweet

Since pop star Katy Perry returned to Earth earlier this week, the number of memes referencing her brief trip to space has skyrocketed.

After weighing in with jokes of its own, American fast-food chain Wendy's has clarified that its now-viral tweets weren't meant to cause offence.

Following criticism from followers, the company put out a statement this week saying it had no ill-will for Perry.

"We always bring a little spice to our socials, but Wendy's has a ton of respect for Katy Perry and her out-of-this-world-talent," it said.

The star-studded, all-female crew on Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket took off in Texas on Monday and flew for 11 minutes in total. Perry was ed by five other women, including journalist Gayle King and Jeff Bezos's partner Lauren Sanchez.

But the "Fireworks" singer's reactions captivated the internet more than others'. After landing, she kissed the ground, saying she felt "so connected to love".

King revealed that Perry sang Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" while in space.

Memes and comments began to flood social media platforms, including Wendy's series of posts on its official X when she landed: "When we said women in stem this isn't what we meant" and "Can we send her back".

While the space flight was meant to celebrate women, the crew has faced some criticism. The backlash ranged from the environmental impact of the flight to looming cuts for actual Nasa employees.

Other celebrities also offered their two cents.

"I think it's a bit gluttonous," actress Olivia Munn said in an appearance on TODAY. "Space exploration was to further our knowledge and to help mankind. What are they going to do up there that is going to help us down here"A lunar rover from the 1972 Apollo mission on the moon. " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/>