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Is Jeff Bezos classified as an astronaut?
To earn the wings, the FAA now states that passengers must have “demonstrated activities during flight that were essential to public safety, or contributed to human space flight safety.” Given the automation of Blue Origin, Bezos doesn’t meet this criteria. …
Is Richard Branson classified as an astronaut?
SAN FRANCISCO — The Federal Aviation Administration has tightened the official definition of an astronaut, meaning Jeff Bezos and Sir Richard Branson have been stripped of the title, according to the U.S. government.
Who are considered astronauts?
one who flies in a vehicle above 50 miles (80 km) for NASA or the military is considered an astronaut (with no qualifier) one who flies in a vehicle to the International Space Station in a mission coordinated by NASA and Roscosmos is a spaceflight participant.
Why is Branson not an astronaut?
Jeff Bezos and Sir Richard Branson technically not astronauts because they made no contribution during flights.
Are Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson astronauts?
Bezos took off on a suborbital space flight last week while Branson reached the edge of space on July 11 both in their own ships. However, the FAA recently tightened its rules on who is considered an astronaut, and currently, the two of them don’t fall under those qualifications.
Why can’t Bezos be an astronaut?
Despite flying to the edge of space, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos does not qualify for his astronaut wings, after the US Federal Aviation Authority tightened its rules. Even if Bezos doesn’t get his FAA Wings, it doesn’t take away from them going into space, as Blue Origin’s New Shepard easily passed the 50 mile mark.
Are Virgin Galactic passengers really astronauts?
The term ‘astronaut’ is actually a job designation at NASA. The Virgin Galactic team reached an altitude of around 90 km and since the US awards astronaut wings to anyone who crosses the 80 km altitude, they can definitely be considered as space tourists.
Are Branson and Bezos astronauts?
(CNN) The US government is making it official — Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and William Shatner have earned the title of “astronaut” after their flights to the edge of space. “The Astronaut Wings program, created in 2004, served its original purpose to bring additional attention to this exciting endeavor.”
Why is Richard Branson not an astronaut?
Will Branson get astronaut wings?
Under these rules, those who pay for suborbital or orbital rides to space are ineligible to be an astronaut, like Bezos and Branson. However, the FAA can award honorary astronaut wings to “individuals whose contribution to commercial human space flight merits special recognition.”