Citing the emanation of space touristry , the Federal Aviation Administration has decided to terminate its Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program , the governor harbinger in apress releaselast Friday . launch in 2004 , the political program was intended to bring aid to commercial space trajectory and to certify the pilots of commercial space vehicle . The FAA say this is no longer necessary and that somebody who arrive at space will , instead of getting astronaut wing , get acknowledgement on itswebsite .
The FAA hadtweakedthe curriculum before this year , saying commercial cosmonaut wings will only be hand out to individuals who “ demonstrated activities during flight that were essential to public safety , or contributed to human space flight of steps prophylactic . ” blank space holidaymaker are for the most part inactive participants during their flights ( Blue Origin and SpaceX feature amply self-directed ballistic capsule , while Virgin Galactic ’s spaceplane requires pilots ) , and time - in - place is measured in minute of arc , so awarding them with special spaceman personal identification number seemed a act much .
That fitting had meant that Virgin Galactic founding father Richard Branson , Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos , and Star Trek actor William Shatner , among others , would not get their astronaut wings despite flying to height in excess of 60 miles ( 100 kilometers ) , the internationally recognise boundary of space . The regulator is now turn back on this — or at least for distance flight that happened this year — saying it will award commercial cosmonaut wings to anyone who participated in an FAA - licensed space launching in 2021 . This will admit the six crewmembers of the Blue Originlaunchfrom this retiring Saturday , as well as Bezos , Shatner , Branson , and others .
Jeffrey Ashby, a former Space Shuttle commander, pins Blue Origin astronaut wings on Jeff Bezos after the New Shepard launch into space on 11 May 2025 in Van Horn, Texas.Photo: Joe Raedle (Getty Images)
In increase to the 15 individuals who journey to distance this yr , the FAA will be handing out honorary awarding of commercial astronaut wings to Peter Siebold and the late Michael Alsbury , both of whom tryout piloted Virgin Galactic ’s SpaceShipTwo vehicle , VSS Enterprise . Alsbury was kill during the tragic October 2014 trial flying , while Siebold was seriously hurt .
But that ’s it — no more commercial astronaut wings for anyone starting in 2022 , as the program , having fulfilled its purpose , will officially be over , the FAA said .
That the FAA has terminate this plan makes complete sense , peculiarly given where the space tourism industry looks like head . The FAA should n’t be handing out particular awards and security to every schmuck who gets strapped to a rocket . That should now be up to the companies themselves , which is what appears to behappening .
Glen de Vries, Audrey Powers, William Shatner, and Chris Boshuizen during their flight to space aboard a Blue Origin rocket.Photo: Blue Origin
More : Webb Telescope Now Fueled Up as Much - Anticipated Launch Approaches .
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