From Kiss-Cam to Comeback: How Astronomer Can Orbit Back After a Public Scandal

We've all seen the clip by now, but let's break it down...

Earlier this month, space-tech darling Astronomer got rocketed into the public eye—but not for its orbital analytics or AI breakthroughs. Instead, its CEO and Chief People Officer became the stars of a Coldplay concert kiss-cam.

The clip? Equal parts cringeworthy and career-ending.

Within hours, TikTok erupted, memes flourished, and the media pounced. “When your HR lead is locking lips with the boss mid-concert,” one Redditor quipped, “it’s not just PDA—it’s PR-D-A.”

But behind every scandal is an opportunity.

This post breaks down how Astronomer—and companies like it—can not only survive a viral fiasco but come out stronger.

Step 1: Own It Quickly (Even If You're Still Embarrassed in Orbit)

First impressions in a PR crisis are often the only impression. Astronomer mistakenly stayed silent for about 24 hours after the clip went viral—ample time for speculation, conspiracy threads, and fake apologies to take hold. 

In crisis comms, silence equals surrender, and the resulting vacuum can spiral into rumor territory fast. Even a basic holding statement—"We're aware, looking into it, more to share soon"—would have reduced uncertainty and calmed nerves. In contrast, Astronomer’s comparative inaction allowed a fake apology to gain traction, which they later had to publicly refute.

When things break in public, delay is your enemy and transparency is your ally. Letting webcams and corporate Twitter fill the gap does more harm than staying quiet ever would.

Unfortunately for Astronomer, they waited around 56-hours to release any sort of statement or anything addressing the incident, which only made things worse as AI videos began circling the internet within a few hours.

I guess I should have written this article sooner. My bad, Astronomer!

Step 2: Bring in the Adults (aka an Independent Investigation)

The board’s decision to suspend both Byron and Cabot and launch an external investigation was textbook crisis containment at work. Treating internal leadership the way you’d treat any other employee—by asserting impartiality—goes a long way in rebuilding trust.

When the leadership team literally stars in the scandal, objectivity is non‑negotiable.

Both employees and the public need assurance: the process is fair, the review is external, and no one gets a pass. Such an approach signals integrity rather than shell‑game evasiveness. It sends a clear message: “This is bigger than personnel—it’s about organizational accountability and standards.”

Step 3: Reclaim the Narrative (Before Liam Gallagher Does)

Once the scandal went public, Astronomer invited more media attention than it ever had before.

As interim CEO Pete DeJoy noted on LinkedIn:

“While I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name.” San Francisco Chronicle+15The Daily Beast+15Yahoo Creators+15

That kind of brutal honesty—plus a little humor—can reset tone. DeJoy leaned into the moment: acknowledged the absurdity, accepted the virality, then redirected attention to the company’s mission and resilience. The Daily BeastThe Economic Times

Meanwhile, cultural commentators and music legends chimed in. The View hosts joked about HR interactions on camera, with Whoopi Goldberg quipping that there may have been poor judgment if privacy was intended. Decider Simultaneously, artists from Oasis to Morgan Wallen referenced the fiasco on stage. San Francisco ChronicleNews.com.au 

Astronomer didn’t shy away—it leaned forward.

Step 4: Treat It as a Cultural Moment, Not a One-Off Slip

This wasn’t just an awkward concert surprise. It raised red flags about governance, boundaries, and workplace behavior, especially given Cabot’s HR responsibilities. A kiss‑cam scandal involving the head of HR is not a PR problem—it’s a structural challenge.

Astronomer’s response needs to go beyond love‑birds employees—they must drive a harder look at ethics policies, HR protocols, and leadership training. Town halls, policy rewrites, employee forums—these aren’t react‑and-forget fixes, they’re foundational.

Publishing the findings—or at least a summary—of the investigation serves two purposes: it shows accountability and gives employees a roadmap for trust restoration. Culture heals when it’s rebuilt transparently—and intentionally.

Step 5: Craft the Comeback Story (Make It Better Than the Scandal)

With name recognition skyrocketing—but for the wrong reasons—Astronomer has a rare chance to flip the script.

As DeJoy said:

“We didn’t want this attention. But now that we have it, we’re going to show people who we really are.”

That focus on future identity—not past embarrassment—is the next chapter. Whether it’s launching a leadership integrity initiative, or a transparency report, Astronomer has the spotlight and can now repair reputation with real investment.

The goal: transform from “That kiss‑cam company” into “That company that fixed what went wrong—and kept innovating.”

Because scandals fade, but substance endures.

Parting Thoughts: Don’t Let the Memes Define You—Define the Moment

Astronomer’s crisis was undeniably viral, bizarre, and meme‑worthy. But handled properly, that moment doesn’t have to be the legacy. Speed, honesty, accountability, transparency, and a clear forward narrative—that’s how you shift from awkward snapshot to comeback narrative.

Because in PR crisis, the story doesn’t end with the scandal—it begins with how you respond. Astronomer’s next big feature? That one.