Аннотация: An Astronaut Wings. An essay on the history of space exploration.
An Astronaut Wings. An essay on the history of space exploration.
What signs and according to what criteria should be awarded to participants of commercial flights into space?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides commercial astronaut Wings to commercial pilots who have successfully completed space flights. The first astronaut to receive Wings was Mike Melvill (2004).
There was also an additional plot.
"F.A.A. narrowed its criteria in July [2021], a day after Mr. Bezos launched to space." (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/10/science/astronaut-wings-faa-bezos-musk.html)
The number of space tourists is expected to increase dramatically.
What to do in this situation?
"The FAA expects the commercial human spaceflight industry to continue to grow and the number of people launching to space to increase dramatically in the coming years.. (...)
Before the Wings program ends, the FAA will award Commercial Space Astronaut Wings to those who had qualifying space travel in 2021, including 15 individuals who have already travelled beyond 50 statute miles above the surface of the Earth on a FAA-licensed launch. " (https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-ends-commercial-space-astronaut-wings-program-will-recognize-individuals-reaching)
What will happen instead of Wings?
"instead of issuing Commercial Space Astronaut Wings. Any individual who is on an FAA-licensed or permitted launch and reaches 50 statute miles above the surface of the Earth will be listed on the site." (https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-ends-commercial-space-astronaut-wings-program-will-recognize-individuals-reaching)
In the list of those eligible for Wings from the FAA, we can see the surnames: Jeffrey P. Bezos, Sir Richard Branson. (https://www.faa.gov/space/licenses/human_spaceflight/recognition/)
So, the "Wings" issued to commercial astronauts may be a thing of the past.
But there are other options as well.
There was an idea put forward by me: "The active work of Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos in the field of space tourism puts on the agenda the establishment and conferring the title of "Cosmic tourist" ("Space Tourist")." ("Cosmic tourist" is a new honorary title for people who visited cosmos. (From the ideas of Vladimir Zalessky). An essay. - July 26, 2021).
In this regard, such information is interesting.
"During the press junket [July 20, 2021], Bezos, his brother, 18-year-old Oliver Daemon, and 82-year-old pilot veteran Wally Funk got their Blue Origin astronaut wings, awarded by Jeff Ashby, former NASA Space Shuttle astronaut and Blue Origin"s chief of mission assurance. (...)
Blue Origin, a company that tasked itself with sending wealthy paying customers to the edge of space, had to come up with an alternative solution: its own astronaut wings. " (https://futurism.com/jeff-bezos-astronaut)
"Blue Origin NS-19 crew get astronaut wings from Jeff Bezos. Laura Shepard Churchley (Alan Shepard's daughter), NFL great Michael Strahan, Evan Dick, Dylan Taylor, Cameron Bess, and Lane Bess receive their Blue Origin astronaut pins from Jeff Bezos post-flight on Dec. 11, 2021." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJZ_y7LfOEk)
These "Wings" in Internet materials are called: "Blue Origin astronaut wings", "custom astronaut wings", "astronaut wings made by Blue Origin" ...
It can be assumed that if the FAA will refuse to issue "Wings" to participants in commercial flights, then private space companies will develop and adopt their own independent sign. Blue Origin astronaut's own Wings are a testament to this trend.
The establishment of the title "Space Tourist" (and the corresponding distinctive sign) is moving into a practical plane.
[MMСCLXXXV. "Cosmic tourist" is a new honorary title for people who visited cosmos. (From the ideas of Vladimir Zalessky). An essay. - July 26, 2021].
December 12, 2021 12:15
Translation from Russian into English: December 12, 2021 12:58.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский "Крылья астронавта. Очерк истории освоения космоса".
{ 2610. Крылья астронавта. Очерк истории освоения космоса.
MMDLXXX. An Astronaut Wings. An essay on the history of space exploration. (English). }