US government to space tourists: You’re not astronauts

Shed a tear for passengers on Jeff Bezos‘ joyrides to space: their trips may not make them official astronauts. The tragic ruling comes courtesy of the Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the US. In a new order, the transportation agency listed two ways to qualify for FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings: You have the appropriate flight crew qualifications and training, have flown beyond 50 miles above Earth on a licensed launch, and have demonstrated activities during flight that were either essential to public safety or contributed to human space flight safety. Your “contribution to commercial human…

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