- READ MORE: Social media users CRITICIZE Katy Perry and the Blue Origin team
After Katy Perry , Lauren Sanchez And four additional women rocketed into space yesterday, Blue Origin proudly stated that they were officially become astronauts.
We have just wrapped up our 11th crewed mission to space and the 31st launch for the New Shepard program, Jeff Bezos ' company tweeted.
The astronaut team comprised Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyễn, Gayle King , Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sánchez.'
According to regulations set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Perry and her co-passengers aren't actually considered astronauts.
In the 11-minute exhilarating journey towards the higher reaches of the atmosphere The Blue Origin mission attained a peak altitude of 66.5 miles (107 km).
This placed them slightly above the Karman line - a threshold marking the beginning of space.
However, the New Shepard space vehicle was built to operate autonomously, which means nobody aboard had control over any part of the mission.
This renders the women unable to achieve official astronaut status; instead, they are officially categorized as 'space travelers.'
In 2004, the FAA initiated its Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program.
This acknowledged anyone who traveled aboard an FAA-approved craft beyond 50 miles as an astronaut, thus making them qualified to be awarded a pair of astronaut wings.
Nevertheless, with the rise of frequent commercial space travel initiatives, The FAA took steps to make the regulations stricter for who qualifies as an astronaut.
In 2021, the FAA introduced a stipulation that the crew member must have shown 'activities during flight that were crucial for public safety, or enhanced the safety of human spaceflight'.
The New Shepard rocket, crafted explicitly for space tourism, carried both Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez into space. And therefore, isn't managed from within the vehicle.
Instead, the rocket is operated from the ground and flies autonomously from launch until landing.
This implies that none of the people onboard would have had the chance to show off any skills besides drifting about and taking in the scenery.
Still, the exact definition of activities "vital for public safety" rests within the FAA's judgment, potentially resulting in varied understandings.
For instance, Sir Richard Branson's 2021 voyage with Virgin Galactic was categorized as a 'test flight'.
Mr Branson received his wings from the FAA because the test flight he conducted was considered to have contributed to 'the enhancement of human spaceflight safety.'
Nevertheless, considering that 52 individuals have already traveled aboard the New Shepard rocket during the past 30 missions, it seems improbable that Katy Perry’s flight would receive such distinct acknowledgment.
Moreover, the FAA's astronaut wings program included provisions for honorary distinctions to be awarded to those who made significant contributions to commercial human spaceflight deserving of particular acknowledgment.
However, once more, not one of the team from the NS-31 mission that took place yesterday have made particularly notable contributions that would justify earning such a title.
Currently, venturing into space has become so routine that the FAA no longer acknowledges commercial astronauts at all.
Soon after modifying the regulations, the FAA made an announcement. It appears that the Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program would be coming to an end.
At the time, FAA Associate Administrator Wayne Monteith stated: "The American commercial human spaceflight sector has made significant progress, moving from executing test flights to sending paying customers into space."
The Astronaut Wings program, established in 2004, fulfilled its initial aim of drawing more focus to this thrilling initiative.
At present, rather than granting astronaut wings, the FAA includes anyone who has surpassed 50 miles in an FAA-licensed craft into the 'Human Spaceflight Recognition' list.
The list encompasses space tourists such as American football player Russell Wilson, who participated in a New Shepard flight, alongside genuine NASA astronauts including Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who made their return to Earth aboard a commercial SpaceX vessel.
Katy Perry, Lauren Sanchez, and the additional team members have not been included in the list just yet; however, their addition won’t grant them any astronaut standing even once it happens.
In the meantime, the other U.S. entities that can qualify someone as an astronaut—the U.S. Army and NASA—only acknowledge their own personnel.
Similarly, these team members must participate in a mission that demands extensive training over several years and requires their active involvement.
Since they aren’t part of the Army or employed by NASA, the individuals in the Blue Origin mission cannot receive official recognition as astronauts.
The FAA and Blue Origin have been reached out to for their comments.
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