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Blue Origin’s Spaceflight with Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez: Are They Officially Astronauts?
Following the recent suborbital space voyage of celebrities Katy Perry, Lauren Sanchez, and four other individuals aboard its New Shepard spacecraft, Blue Origin proclaimed that they had officially become astronauts. The company, owned by Jeff Bezos, announced on social media the completion of their 11th human spaceflight, marking the 31st mission for the New Shepard program. The crew included Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyễn, Gayle King, Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sánchez.
FAA Regulations Define “Space Travelers,” Not Astronauts
Despite Blue Origin’s declaration, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stipulations suggest that Perry and her fellow passengers do not technically qualify as astronauts. During the brief, approximately 11-minute journey into the upper atmosphere, the Blue Origin mission ascended to a peak altitude of 66.5 miles (107 km), surpassing the Kármán line, which is widely recognized as the boundary demarcating the beginning of space.
Autonomous Flight and Astronaut Status Ineligibility
However, the New Shepard spacecraft’s design operates autonomously, meaning no crew member onboard manages any aspect of the flight controls. This autonomous nature renders the passengers ineligible for formal astronaut designation, classifying them instead as ‘space travelers’ according to current regulations.
FAA’s Evolving Definition of Astronaut Wings
In 2004, the FAA established its Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program. This initiative recognized individuals traveling above 50 miles on an FAA-approved vehicle as astronauts, entitling them to astronaut wings. However, with the increasing prevalence of commercial space endeavors, the FAA revised its criteria for astronaut recognition.
Tightened Regulations in 2021
In 2021, the FAA implemented stricter requirements, mandating that a crew member must have ‘demonstrated activities during flight that were essential to public safety, or contributed to human space flight safety’ to be considered for astronaut status. The New Shepard rocket, utilized for the flight with Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez, is specifically engineered for space tourism. Consequently, it operates without onboard control.
Autonomous Operation Limits Crew Role
The rocket’s operations are managed remotely from the ground, executing autonomous flight sequences from launch to landing. This operational mode means passengers onboard would not have the capacity to engage in activities beyond observing the experience and enjoying the view. The FAA retains discretion in interpreting what constitutes activities ‘essential to public safety,’ which can lead to varied perspectives.
Precedent and Honorary Awards
For instance, Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic flight in 2021 received ‘test flight’ designation. The FAA awarded Mr. Branson wings because the test flight itself was considered an action contributing to ‘human space flight safety.’ However, with over 50 individuals having previously journeyed on New Shepard across 30 prior missions, it’s improbable that the recent flight would warrant such special recognition.
Honorary Recognition and Current FAA Policy
The FAA’s astronaut wing program also previously allowed for honorary awards to individuals whose ‘contribution to commercial human space flight merits special recognition.’ Nevertheless, none of the participants in the recent NS-31 mission have made exceptional contributions that would particularly justify this honorific title.
Program Wind-Down and “Human Spaceflight Recognition” List
Presently, space travel has become so commonplace that the FAA has discontinued the practice of formally recognizing commercial astronauts altogether. Subsequent to revising the regulations, the FAA announced the gradual termination of the Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program.
FAA Associate Administrator Wayne Monteith stated that the U.S. commercial human spaceflight sector has significantly progressed. He noted that the Astronaut Wings program, initiated in 2004, effectively served its initial objective of drawing attention to this burgeoning field.
Human Spaceflight Recognition Instead of Astronaut Wings
Currently, instead of bestowing astronaut wings, the FAA includes individuals who have exceeded 50 miles in an FAA-licensed vehicle on a ‘Human Spaceflight Recognition’ list. This registry encompasses both space tourists, like American football player Russell Wilson, who flew on a New Shepard mission, and professional NASA astronauts such as Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who returned to Earth via a commercial SpaceX capsule. While Katy Perry, Lauren Sanchez, and their fellow crew members are anticipated to be added to this list, it does not confer official astronaut status.
NASA and US Army Astronaut Designations
Meanwhile, other US entities authorized to confer astronaut status – the US Army and NASA – exclusively recognize their own personnel. These individuals typically undergo extensive multi-year training programs and fulfill active roles in their assigned missions. Given that the Blue Origin mission participants are neither members of the Army nor NASA employees, they cannot be officially designated as astronauts by these entities.
Both the FAA and Blue Origin have been approached for comment on this matter.