FAA: No more commercial astronaut wings, too many launching
ABC News
The Federal Aviation Administration says it will no longer give out commercial astronaut wings starting next year because too many people are launching into space
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Heads up, future space travelers: No more commercial astronaut wings will be awarded from the Federal Aviation Administration after this year.
The FAA said Friday it's clipping its astronaut wings because too many people are now launching into space and it's getting out of the astronaut designation business entirely.
The news comes one day ahead of Blue Origin’s planned liftoff from West Texas with former NFL player and TV celebrity Michael Strahan. He and his five fellow passengers will still be eligible for wings since the FAA isn’t ending its long-standing program until Jan. 1.
NASA's astronauts also have nothing to worry about going forward — they'll still get their pins from the space agency.
