In the age of high-flying tech billionaires and Instagram fame, it seems like everyone wants a piece of the space pie. Recently, a trip that was more hype than height left some so-called “astronauts” crashing back to reality. Imagine paying for high-speed plummet to the edge of space just to come back with a selfie and a sponsorship deal. You didn’t miss anything, but the eyebrows on this one were arched so high, they might as well have been part of the flight.

Some folks thought celebrities were venturing to space, but in reality, it was a mix-up with those who actually have taken such trips. These rides managed to make headlines not for distance traveled, but for the distance fallen. In the grand old tradition of celebrities getting a taste of zero-gravity life, some flights made it as far as the point where Earth’s atmosphere decides to call it quits, a point technically called the Karman line. It’s like signing up for an ultra-marathon and ending up on a treadmill.

In this ride to the edge, viewers got a front-row seat to a show of shrieks as their capsule did more of a tumble-from-the-sky than a flight into the stars. Parachutes always make for a nice touch when your biggest concern is what gravity plans to do with you next. It’s essential to remind everyone they landed safely, in case anyone was genuinely worried these “astronauts” had missed their cue.

Back on solid ground, there was plenty of online banter questioning the point of the whole escapade. This went to show that the only thing faster than the capsule’s descent was the wit on social media.

But for all the memes and mentions, there was a lesson in the experience. Critics didn’t skip a beat, pointing out the whole escapade was less about expanding human frontiers and more about stretching the boundaries of influencer reach. It’s one thing to reach for the stars and another to catch a ride just for the gram.

So next time you’re perched at a theme park on the spinning Astro Orbiter, remember: that’s as much astronaut as some high-flying celebs ever got. It’s a whole new world up there, sure—but sometimes the drama down here is far more entertaining.