UM-Bot Posted July 25, 2021 #1 Share Posted July 25, 2021 Following the two billionaires' historic flights, the FAA has decided to tighten the definition of the term 'astronaut'. https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/349136/branson-and-bezos-are-not-astronauts-us-says 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Posted July 25, 2021 #2 Share Posted July 25, 2021 Of course; they were simply passengers. Flying in an aircraft doesn’t make you a pilot. Traveling on a boat doesn’t make you a captain. Being a passenger in a car doesn’t make you a driver. They we’re simply passengers along for the ride. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHaYap Posted July 25, 2021 #3 Share Posted July 25, 2021 They're Space tourists... ~ 2 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eight bits Posted July 25, 2021 #4 Share Posted July 25, 2021 (edited) It's a small point, maybe, but I don't see the public relations upside of a government agency (rhymes with "unelected bureaucrats" and "desk jockeys") changing the definition of a modest recognition of achievement on the very day that someone satisfied the previously announced standard for that recognition. In any case, it is a nice illustration of bureaucracy failing to keep up with technological progress in the field it ostensibly regulates. The point of Blue Origin is that it is an autonomous vehicle - unless something malfunctions, everybody on board is supposed to be "just a passenger." And yet the "tightening of the standard" is to deny recognition to everybody on board a correctly functioning state-of-the-art craft. The phrase "peeing into the wind" comes to mind somehow. Finally, the recognition that counts so far as I know is that of the FAI (international Aeronautical Federation in English). They certify innovative flights. To them, the edge of space is 100 km, the Karman Line, 328,084 feet (+/- 66.5 miles). Based on reporting, Bezos made it (351K feet and change) and Branson didn't (281K feet); although both beat the US-FAA height (264K feet, 50 miles) - So far as I know, the FAI doesn't routinely hand out tokens of achievement, but they do have an awards program for exemplary achievements. I suspect founding a new era in spacefaring just might bag a badge or plaque from the FAI for Bezos and Branson. A consolation proze for failing to impress the desk jockeys. Yeah, that'd be one way of looking at it. Edited July 25, 2021 by eight bits 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+joc Posted July 25, 2021 #5 Share Posted July 25, 2021 2 hours ago, third_eye said: They're Space tourists... ~ They are Space Cadets... 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHaYap Posted July 25, 2021 #6 Share Posted July 25, 2021 41 minutes ago, joc said: They are Space Cadets... No they're not... They're the paymasters...and they don't wear uniforms ~ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jethrofloyd Posted July 25, 2021 #7 Share Posted July 25, 2021 Space ticket controllers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreadLordAvatar Posted July 25, 2021 #8 Share Posted July 25, 2021 Astronaut posers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon the frog Posted July 27, 2021 #9 Share Posted July 27, 2021 It's becoming an ego fluke test of epic proportions. Nasa vs private industries, billionaires vs billionaires ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanescotty Posted July 28, 2021 #10 Share Posted July 28, 2021 (edited) �Posted by Timothy on 7/25/202 Of course; they were simply passengers. Flying in an aircraft doesn�t make you a pilot. Traveling on a boat doesn�t make you a captain. Being a passenger in a car doesn�t make you a driver. They we�re simply passengers along for the ride� By your logic then, Neil Armstrong isnt an astronaut since he neither piloted the command module or the lunar landing module. Your logic also means that mist of the shuttle astronauts arent astronauts as well. According to the dictionary Merriam-Webster, an astronaut is defined as "a person who travels beyond the earth's atmosphere‘ Edited July 28, 2021 by sanescotty 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Posted August 1, 2021 #11 Share Posted August 1, 2021 On 7/28/2021 at 4:54 PM, sanescotty said: �Posted by Timothy on 7/25/202 Of course; they were simply passengers. Flying in an aircraft doesn�t make you a pilot. Traveling on a boat doesn�t make you a captain. Being a passenger in a car doesn�t make you a driver. They we�re simply passengers along for the ride� By your logic then, Neil Armstrong isnt an astronaut since he neither piloted the command module or the lunar landing module. Your logic also means that mist of the shuttle astronauts arent astronauts as well. According to the dictionary Merriam-Webster, an astronaut is defined as "a person who travels beyond the earth's atmosphere‘ He trained strenuously and performed critical tasks, he’s an astronaut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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