[ad_1]
WASHINGTON – The two pilots who flew SpaceShipTwo at the edge of space in December received commercial astronaut wings last week, joining an elite group that will not necessarily become much bigger despite the expected growth in spaceflight commercial.
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao officially awarded commercial astronaut wings to Mark "Forger" Stucky and Frederick "CJ" Sturckow, the Virgin Galactic pilot, who flew the SpaceShipTwo space plane to an altitude of nearly 83 kilometers on December 13th.
"Receiving commercial astronaut wings is an honor for me because it's recognition of personal accomplishment," Stuck said in a statement, thanking employees of Virgin Galactic and its subsidiary The Spaceship Company, as well as Scaled Composites, who designed the vehicle. . "And these wings are really dedicated to them."
The Federal Aviation Administration, like the US Air Force and NASA, awards astronaut wings to astronauts flying above 50 miles, or about 80 km. This is below the 100 km altitude of the Karman Line, which is commonly used as a standard space boundary, although unofficial. The International Aeronautical Federation (FAI), the world's largest air sports federation, which records records for aviation and spaceflight, announced in November that it was considering reconsidering the altitude of the Karman line. , suggesting that it could be reduced to 80 kilometers.
Stucky and Sturckow are only the third and four individuals to receive FAA astronaut wings. The agency announced plans to award wings in 2004 as Scaled Composites tested its SpaceShipOne vehicle. Mike Melvill received the first wings in June 2004 after SpaceShipOne's first flight over 80 kilometers, while Brian Binnie received it for the last motorized flight of this vehicle in October 2004.
In his address, Chao praised the flight that earned Stucky and Sturckow their wings as part of a "rocket revival" as part of a commercial flight. "Today we give the first of what I hope will be a lot more commercial wings of astronauts," she said.
However, very few such wings may have been awarded in the near future. The FAA plans to give wings only to those flying as crew members in FAA-licensed launches that exceed 50 miles. Crew members must meet specific requirements set out in federal regulations, including holding a FAA Second Clbad Medical Certificate and meeting specific training requirements to drive the vehicle safely. Space flight participants, those who fly in the vehicle but have no role to play in the operation of the vehicle, will not be eligible for wings.
These requirements will strictly limit the number of additional commercial astronaut wings awarded in the near future. Several other Virgin Galactic pilots, including chief pilot Dave Mackay, are expected to pilot SpaceShipTwo on future test flights and later on commercial service, and will therefore be eligible for the squadrons.
The situation is different for Blue Origin, the other company that is actively developing a crewed suborbital vehicle. His New Shepard vehicle is remotely piloted and has not yet carried pbadengers to date for its 10 test flights. The company plans to start flying New Shepard pbadengers later this year, initially with company employees as the flight test program continues. It is not clear that these people will be eligible for the FAA's astronaut wings, as they will not fly the vehicle.
Boeing and SpaceX are developing crewed orbital vehicles, CST-100 Starliner and Crew Dragon, for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. However, the initial flights of the vehicle will carry astronauts for NASA and other government agencies, although operational missions will be authorized by the FAA.
If astronauts participating in commercial crew missions are eligible for the FAA's astronaut wings, in addition to NASA's astronaut wings, they will not be the first to receive both sets of wings. Sturckow is a former NASA astronaut who flew four shuttle missions before joining Virgin Galactic.
Source link
