Todos
← Back to Squawk list
The FAA Changed Its Definition of 'Astronaut' on the Same Day Jeff Bezos Went to Space
Jeff Bezos is a lot of things. A tax-dodging megalomaniac. A Dr. Evil lookalike. A weirdly horny cowboy hat enthusiast. The one thing he isn’t—at least as far as the Federal Aviation Administration is concerned—is an astronaut. (gizmodo.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
jeff has the money to buy whatever designations his little heart desires. He , however, is in fact a near-earth semi, nearly, almost astronaut. astronaut-wanna be comes to mind...
I found it to be rather exciting to see an autonomous flight with human souls on the flight and what that may mean for aviation in the future. I'm totally blind and I find that to be exciting as it may one day make it possible for a blind person to fly their own craft.
Makes sense. To qualify as an astronaut, you should be bore than a passenger.
*more
The idea that a Branson passenger is an astronaut is insulting. Astronaut Reisman says; If I take a Carnival Cruise, I don't get epaulets and get called a sailer. The key is what is your role? Are you trained to do a job in space?
Poke your head above some altitude and la dee da, you're an astronaut? It's like driving up Pike's Peak and getting a medal that says you've climbed one of Colorado's fourteeners...
Astronauts are not about joy rides. Even Christa McAuliffe, Teacher In Space, had serious assignments had that crew lived to fly their mission.
Rides are a legitimate thing to do. It will become more and more common and cheaper. But it is a joy ride. Or maybe eventually really fast trans-continental flying. That's fine. But you're not an astronaut. You're a Disney, er, uh, Virgin park guest. Maybe the title should be something like astropassenger.
Poke your head above some altitude and la dee da, you're an astronaut? It's like driving up Pike's Peak and getting a medal that says you've climbed one of Colorado's fourteeners...
Astronauts are not about joy rides. Even Christa McAuliffe, Teacher In Space, had serious assignments had that crew lived to fly their mission.
Rides are a legitimate thing to do. It will become more and more common and cheaper. But it is a joy ride. Or maybe eventually really fast trans-continental flying. That's fine. But you're not an astronaut. You're a Disney, er, uh, Virgin park guest. Maybe the title should be something like astropassenger.
The FAA should give them all Participation Trophies.