--- title: "SpaceX Ground Control References “Mean Girls” During Astronaut Launch" description: "SpaceX and NASA launched astronauts to the International Space Station today — and crews back on the ground made a \"Mean Girls\" reference for some reason." date: "2022-10-05" modified: "2022-10-05" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-ground-control-mean-girls" categories: - "Space" - "SpaceX" tags: - "crew dragon" - "SpaceX" - "the digest" --- # SpaceX Ground Control References “Mean Girls” During Astronaut Launch ![SpaceX and NASA launched astronauts to the International Space Station today — and crews back on the ground made a "Mean Girls" reference for some reason.]() *\Image: NASA/Futurism\* ## Making Fetch Happen SpaceX and NASA launched yet another crew of astronauts to the International Space Station today — and crews back on the ground chose to take advantage of the momentous occasion to inject some much-needed levity in the form of a "Mean Girls" reference. "And while October 3 may belong to the Mean Girls, October 5 will forever belong to Crew 5," SpaceX ground control [told crew members]() shortly after stage separation, a reference to the 2004 hit comedy "Mean Girls." "Godspeed, Endurance," he added. The joke served to break down the fourth wall a little; a refreshing reminder of the human beings at SpaceX who make a highly complicated procedure like launching astronauts into space possible. https://youtu.be/5EwW8ZkArL4?t=11707 ## The Limit Does Not Exist It was a surprising moment that had onlookers taken aback. "Did they just reference 'Mean Girls?'" *NASASpaceFlight*'s Chris Bergin said incredulously during a [livestream]() of the event. In case you're not clued in, it's a popular reference to an otherwise innocuous moment in the movie, in which Jonathan Bennett's character Aaron Samuels asks Lindsay Lohan's character Cady Heron [what day it is]() — a scene that has since been turned into a meme and a [yearly celebration](). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eORqi-n2V0 In short, it's exactly the kind of [tongue-in-cheek break from procedure]() we've come to expect from Elon Musk's portfolio. And while we can't help cringing a little bit at the movie reference, it's a harmless joke — and we're here for it. **More on the launch:** *[SpaceX Launches Russian Cosmonaut to ISS Despite Nuclear War Threats]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()