[SN] FAA revises criteria for commercial astronaut wings

[Orionid]

FAA revises criteria for commercial astronaut wings
by Jeff Foust — July 21, 2021 [SN]


Virgin Galactic's Dave Mackay, Mike Masucci and Beth Moses received their FAA astronaut wings at the 35th Space Symposium in 2019 after their SpaceShipTwo flight. Credit: Tom Kimmell

EL PASO, Texas — The Federal Aviation Administration has revised its criteria for awarding astronaut wings to those flying on commercial spacecraft, making the requirements stricter while including a significant loophole.

The FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation issued an order July 20 describing its FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program and the criteria for awarding them. The order represents the first formal update of the wings program since it was introduced in 2004.

Source: https://spacenews.com/faa-revises-criteria-for-commercial-astronaut-wings/

[Orionid]

FAA to end commercial astronaut wings program
by Jeff Foust — December 10, 2021 [SN]


Secretary of Transportation pins FAA astronaut wings on Virgin Galactic pilot Frederick “CJ” Sturckow during a Feb. 7 ceremony in Washington as Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson looks on. Credit: FAA

WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration will stop awarding commercial astronaut wings at the end of this year, five months after it revised the criteria for receiving the wings.

The FAA announced Dec. 10 that it will award wings to all non-government individuals that flew on FAA-licensed commercial vehicles to date in 2021, as well as those who fly on any remaining launches through the end of the year. However, it will not award wings to anyone, either crew members or spaceflight participants, that flies on FAA-licensed vehicles after this year.

The decision means that 15 people who flew on Blue Origin’s New Shepard, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo and who had not previously earned FAA wings will receive them. They include Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson, Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos and actor William Shatner.

Source: https://spacenews.com/faa-to-end-commercial-astronaut-wings-program/