Questions concerning space and astronauts
Just what is space, or more precisely, where does space begin? According to the United States Air Force, space begins at an altitude of 50 statute miles (80.4672 km). In the United States, this is generally accepted. The FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale), the governing body for air sports, has established that space begins at 100 km --- the Kármán line. While even this is somewhat arbitrary, this is generally the most accepted definition for the beginning of space. The WorldSpaceFlight Blog briefly discussed this in a May 2022 post, Where does space begin? Regardless, we currently have competing criteria of (approx.) 80 and 100 km, 100 km being the most acceptable worldwide.
The term for people who travel into space (either USAF space or FAI space) varies. In the West, the primary term is "astronaut", while in the Russian (and former Soviet) world, the term is "cosmonaut". In China, the official term is "yuhanguan", although "taikonaut" is common, and in English press releases, the term used is "astronaut!" In India, the word is "vyomanaut". What they all have in common is training and experience. These men and women are pilots, engineers, doctors, researchers and scientists. Even the "tourists" undergo months of rigorous training and must pass certain health and phsical testing. Not everyone who goes through such training becomes an official astronaut (or the relevant equivalent term). They must reach space (USAF or FAI) to acheive their wings.
The next question to be asked is this: Is reaching a designated altitude the only stipulation to qualify as an astronaut? In the eyes of the editor of WorldSpaceFlight.com, the answer is "No." Reaching a desiginated altitude is merely the capstone to months (or longer) of training and preparation. This editor considers people who have worked and trained for spaceflight, even if never actually obtaining their astronaut wings, to be more entitled to recognition than a 10-15 minute passive participant on a thrill ride. This brings us to our final term.
Neonaut - A person with little to no training who rides a craft to an altitude of 50 miles or higher for a couple minutes so they can claim to be an astronaut.
What else can you call a neonaut? Are they tourists? If you fly from New York to London, then without leaving the airport, fly back to New York, can you legitimately say you "toured" England? This editor is at a loss to come up with any other definite term for what amounts to a reverse bungee jump.
Why are some people considered "astronauts" while others on the same flight not? This question needs to be answered with specific examples.
Dennis Tito, The first space tourist spent $20 million for a 7 day trip to the International Space Station. He spent eight months training at Star City in Russia and performed several experiments during his time in space. His trip was opposed by NASA. Because of the training and the experiments, WorldSpaceFlight considers him an astronaut. There have been other tourists to the International Space Station. The most recent have been trips sponsored by Axiom Corporation. These participants are likewise considered astronauts.
Fram2 participants. Fram2 spent over 3 days in space. None of the crew were professional astronauts. This flight, even though privately funded, included innovative experients, and this was the first ever manned flight in a polar orbit. The crew underwent months of training on operation of the craft, planning the experiments, and conditioning for space travel. Like Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn, flights with equally rigorous planning and training, these crew members are truly astronauts.
The pilots (and copilots) of SpaceShipOne and SpaceShipTwo are experienced pilots who control their vehicles throughout the entire flight. SpaceShipOne flew above 100 km, the generally accepted beginning of space, while SpaceShipTwo exceeds 50 statute miles (approx 62.5 km), which is the beginning of space according to the United States Air Force, and generaly accepted within the United States. To fly a rocket powered craft to altitudes exceeding 50 miles requires a bit more experience than a pilot's license and six months in a Cessna. In addition performing their duties, these pilots have years of experience and training, plus additional special training for such flights. Given this, WorldSpaceFlight deems them men and women to be astronauts.
Mary "Wally" Funk. Wally Funk was a member of the Mercury Thirteen, a group of skilled women aviators who received much of the same training given to the male NASA astronauts of the time. NASA refused to allow the training to continue and the program ended with none of the women officially accepted as astronaut candidates or being assigned any chance to fly in space. Wally Funk was finally afforded the opportunity to reach space on the flight of Blue Origin's New Shepard 16. WordlSpaceFlight considers that even though she was a passive participant, her prior training and preparation entitles her to the title of astronaut.
Tuva Atasever. Atasever, from Türkiye, was selected in 2023 along with fellow Turk Alper Gezeravi. Gezeravi later was selected to fly on Axiom-3 to the International Space Station. Atasever was his backup. They both underwent the same training and preperation, but only one ultimately flew. As in the case of Wally Funk, because of his training for space flight, WorldSpaceFlight considers him to be an astronaut.
Ed Dwight. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy recommended Dwight for the Air Force's Aerospace Research Pilot School. This is an advanced test pilot training program, and is the program from which Air Force candidates for NASA selections were made. Dwight completed ARPS in 1963 and went on to the next stage of the astronaut selection process. In September 1963, fourteeen candidates were selected for NASA Group 3. Six of those fourteen were Air Force. The other eight were from the u.S. Navy (6) and the U.S. Marine Corps (2). Dwight was not among those chosen. This decision has been controversial. At that time, there were elemnts within NASA opposed to the selection of African Americans to be astronauts. While a grave misjustice may have been done, and Dwight might have become America's first African American astronaut, the cruel fact is that he was NOT selected, and never underwent the training that he may have deserved. Dwight finally got his chance to reach space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard 25. WorldSpaceFlight, regrettably, does not deem Dwight to meet the criteria for full astronaut status. He does deserve honorable mention.
Page last modified: 21 April 2025 22:53:12.
