Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft, owned by Jeff Bezos, Once again written a curious chapter in the history of space tourism. Its 31st mission, which took off from western Texas, was not only a technical success, But she also marked a turning point by boarding an exclusively female crew. Among them were as well known names as singer Katy Perry, Gayle King journalist and other personalities representing various social and cultural causes.
The New Shepard spacecraft is called the astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American astronaut to have gone into space. It is an 18 -meter rocket that can accommodate up to six crew members.
But beyond the symbolic feat, the controversy was not long in: Should these passengers be called “astronauts”? A simple word sparked a discussion that has been in the first suborbital flights of celebrities in 2021, when Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos began to democratize, at least financially, access to space.
Where does space start? Even science does not agree
Talking about borders in space may seem contradictory, but it is precisely this concept that has sown confusion. For decades, The Kármán line, located about 100 km above sea level, is the “internationally recognized” reference to define the start of space. It was proposed by the scientist Theodore von Kármán in order to distinguish between atmospheric flight and space flight.
However, there is no unanimous consensus. Some experts situate the start of the space a little lower, 80 km, This coincides with US Air Force policy to grant wings to astronauts. Others, especially in fields such as space physics, go much further: they speak of 57,000 km, when borders such as plasma or plasmasphere are crossed.
It is therefore clear that the space limit is not a line painted in the sky. It is a technical agreement, sometimes arbitrary, which varies according to who uses it and for what purpose. In this confused landscape, The trips of Blue Origin, which exceed 100 km, try to position themselves as more “legitimate” than those of Virgin Galactic, which barely exceed 85 km.
Astronauts or simple space tourists?
The current debate is what really means a astronaut. For some, it is enough to have crossed the minimum altitude which defines the space. For others, training is needed, a specific role in flight and a technical or scientific contribution.
The FAA (US Federal Aviation Administration) has stricter criteria: It requires active participation in flight security and the execution of essential tasks during the mission. In this sense, tourist flights, where passengers are rather spectators, do not fall under the official title.
-It is precisely this point that Sean Duffy, a former official of the Trump administration, used to disqualify the “astronaut” label applied to personalities such as Katy Perry and Gayle King. According to him, “buying a ticket” is not enough to deserve this rank.
But here is the contradiction: if an actor like William Shatner can fly and be celebrated as a pioneer, Why are criticisms more severe when it comes to women?
The role of celebrities and media visibility
One of the most discussed aspects of New Shepard flight was the profile of the crew members. All were eminent women in their field, but none had aerospace technical training. It made noise on social networks, Where some users have stressed that their presence was harming the mission seriously.
However, symbolism behind this flight goes beyond the titles. The mission was designed As a way to give visibility to influential women who use their voice to inspire new generations. This is even reflected in the symbols of the official flight badge, from microphones to shooting stars.
It is clear that, more than a scientific experience, it was a mission responsible for social messages. But that does not invalidate him as a spatial experience. After all, if the physical conditions of the flight are met, is it not also valid to assess the cultural impact?
What is the next step? Space tourism does not back down
While Blue Origin celebrates its record for taking nearly 60 people in space, the future of space tourism continues to be written with each flight. The possibility for more civilians to access the space is, in itself, a profound transformation of the aerospace industry.
The problem is that, for the moment, most of these travelers belong to a rich or very visible media elite. Access remains limited and very exclusive. The experiences in microgravity are short, three to four minutes, and not very useful for real scientific research.
However, some suggest that authorization to carry out experience in flight could open new perspectives. Equip these tool missions for studies in biology, physics or medicine would be a step towards the transformation of these “passengers” in something closer to functional astronauts.
