Astronaut Badge
Encyclopedia
The Astronaut Badge is a badge
of the United States
, awarded to military
and civilian pilots who have completed training and performed a successful spaceflight
. A variation of the astronaut badge is also issued to civilians who are employed with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
as specialists
on spaceflight missions.
, comes from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
and is a definition recognized by every country. However, in the 1960s, the United States Department of Defense
awarded astronaut badges to military and civilian pilots who flew aircraft higher than 50 miles (80 kilometers). Seven USAF and NASA pilots qualified for the astronaut badge by flying the sub-orbital X-15
rocket spaceplane.
American test pilots Michael Melvill
and Brian Binnie
were each awarded a Commercial Astronaut
Badge by the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) when they flew sub-orbital missions aboard the Scaled Composites
SpaceShipOne rocket spaceplane. All other men and women awarded the astronaut badge earned it travelling to space in non-winged rockets, the X-15, or the space shuttle
.
with an Astronaut Device (shooting star through a halo) centered on the badge's shield, or escutcheon. The United States Army and Air Force Astronaut Badges are issued in three degrees: Basic, Senior, and Master/Command. The Senior Astronaut Badge is denoted by a star centered above the decoration, while the Master/Command level is indicated by a star and wreath.
The gold Astronaut Device is issued by the U.S. Army to Army aviators, flight surgeons, and aircrew members that qualify as astronauts. The Astronaut Device has a gold shooting star and elliptical orbit which is affixed over the shield of previously awarded Army aviation badges. Army Astronauts that have yet to fly a mission and have not been awarded any aviation badge previously are awarded the Army Aviation Badge. Once they have flown a mission, they are awarded the Astronaut Device for their Army Aviation Badge. The shooting star and orbit representation is meant to imply the astronaut's theater of operations, space. The Army Astronaut Badge was approved on 17 May 1983. It is the rarest badge issued by the US Army.
The Naval Astronaut insignias are issued in a single degree to naval aviators
and flight officers
from the United States Marine Corps
, United States Navy
, and United States Coast Guard
, with all three branches being trained in the same pipeline. All three branches also wear the same insignia which consists of a Naval Aviator insignia or Naval Flight Officer insignia with a centered gold astronaut device. However, the Coast Guard only issues the Naval Flight Officer version of the astronaut insignia under the name "Coast Guard Astronaut insignia."
The U.S. Air Force Astronaut Badge consists of a standard USAF aeronautical badge
upon which is centered the Astronaut Device. The Air Force does not consider Astronaut to be a separate rating from its six established rating badges, but as a "qualifier" to them, and may only be awarded by the Air Force Chief of Staff after written application upon completion of an operational space mission. The rating of Observer is used for USAF Mission Specialist
s who have completed training but not a mission and are not otherwise aeronautically rated as a USAF pilot or USAF navigator. In 2007, the U.S. Air Force announced the opening of astronaut mission specialists positions to enlisted personnel who met certain eligibility requirements with insignia based on the USAF Enlisted Aircrew Badge with superimposed Astronaut Device. No enlisted astronaut badges are yet known to have been issued.
also has an Astronaut Badge, which is issued to civilian personnel who participate in U.S. space missions.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
has granted commercial astronaut
wings to civilian pilots who have performed a successful spaceflight. Currently, only Mike Melvill
and Brian Binnie
have these wings.
Apollo 12
astronaut Alan Bean
took his silver pin to the Moon in November 1969 and left it on the lunar surface. He said later that since he had worn the silver pin for six years and that he would be wearing a gold pin after the mission, he would not be needing his silver one any more, so "what better place to leave it than on the moon?".
A unique astronaut pin was made for NASA astronaut Deke Slayton
in 1967. It was gold in color, but instead of the star, it had a small diamond in its place. It was made at the request of the crew of the first manned mission
of the Apollo program as a tribute to Slayton's work at NASA. The idea was that everyone in the Astronaut Office had thought that Slayton would never get to fly in space (due to his heart murmur
; he would later fly on board the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
as Docking Module Pilot), but as they knew that it was primarily because of him that they managed to do so, he should wear a gold pin rather than a silver one as a token of appreciation. As they knew that Slayton would refuse to wear exactly the same gold pin as veteran astronauts, the diamond was substituted. The pin was supposed to have been flown on board the Apollo 1 spacecraft, then given to Slayton after the mission was over. However, the Apollo 1 crew died in a fire during a training exercise in January 1967. The pin was given to Slayton by the widows of the dead crew as a token of condolence. This diamond-studded gold pin was later flown to the moon on Apollo 11
in July 1969.
Badge
A badge is a device or fashion accessory, often containing the insignia of an organization, which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath , a sign of legitimate employment or student status, or as a simple...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, awarded to military
Military aviation
Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
and civilian pilots who have completed training and performed a successful spaceflight
Spaceflight
Spaceflight is the act of travelling into or through outer space. Spaceflight can occur with spacecraft which may, or may not, have humans on board. Examples of human spaceflight include the Russian Soyuz program, the U.S. Space shuttle program, as well as the ongoing International Space Station...
. A variation of the astronaut badge is also issued to civilians who are employed with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
as specialists
Mission Specialist
A Mission Specialist is a position held by certain NASA astronauts during Space Shuttle missions. A Mission Specialist is assigned to a limited field of the mission, such as for medical experiments or technical quests....
on spaceflight missions.
Eligibility
To earn an astronaut badge, a military officer must complete all required training and participate in a space flight more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) above the Earth. This boundary, known as the Kármán lineKarman line
The Kármán line lies at an altitude of above the Earth's sea level, and is commonly used to define the boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and outer space...
, comes from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...
and is a definition recognized by every country. However, in the 1960s, the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
awarded astronaut badges to military and civilian pilots who flew aircraft higher than 50 miles (80 kilometers). Seven USAF and NASA pilots qualified for the astronaut badge by flying the sub-orbital X-15
North American X-15
The North American X-15 rocket-powered aircraft/spaceplane was part of the X-series of experimental aircraft, initiated with the Bell X-1, that were made for the USAAF/USAF, NACA/NASA, and the USN. The X-15 set speed and altitude records in the early 1960s, reaching the edge of outer space and...
rocket spaceplane.
American test pilots Michael Melvill
Mike Melvill
Michael Winston "Mike" Melvill is one of the test pilots for SpaceShipOne, the experimental spaceplane developed by Scaled Composites. Melvill piloted SpaceShipOne on its first flight past the edge of space, flight 15P on June 21, 2004, thus becoming the first commercial astronaut and the 434th...
and Brian Binnie
Brian Binnie
William Brian Binnie is a former United States Navy officer and is one of the test pilots for SpaceShipOne, the experimental spaceplane developed by Scaled Composites.-History:...
were each awarded a Commercial Astronaut
Commercial Astronaut
A commercial astronaut is a person trained to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a privately funded spacecraft.-Criteria:The criteria for determining who has achieved human spaceflight vary. The FAI defines spaceflight as any flight over of altitude...
Badge by the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
(FAA) when they flew sub-orbital missions aboard the Scaled Composites
Scaled Composites
Scaled Composites is an aerospace company founded by Burt Rutan and currently owned by Northrop Grumman that is located at the Mojave Spaceport, Mojave, California, United States...
SpaceShipOne rocket spaceplane. All other men and women awarded the astronaut badge earned it travelling to space in non-winged rockets, the X-15, or the space shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
.
Military badges
Each of the military services issues its own version of the Astronaut Badge, which consists of a standard Aviation BadgeUnited States Aviator Badge
A United States Aviator Badge refers to three types of aviation badges issued by the United States military, those being for Army, Air Force, and Naval aviation....
with an Astronaut Device (shooting star through a halo) centered on the badge's shield, or escutcheon. The United States Army and Air Force Astronaut Badges are issued in three degrees: Basic, Senior, and Master/Command. The Senior Astronaut Badge is denoted by a star centered above the decoration, while the Master/Command level is indicated by a star and wreath.
United States Army
Naval Aviators
United States Naval Aviator
A United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
and flight officers
Naval Flight Officer
A Naval Flight Officer is an aeronautically designated commissioned officer in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps that specializes in airborne weapons and sensor systems. NFOs are not pilots per se, but they may perform many "co-pilot" functions, depending on the type of aircraft...
from the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, and United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
, with all three branches being trained in the same pipeline. All three branches also wear the same insignia which consists of a Naval Aviator insignia or Naval Flight Officer insignia with a centered gold astronaut device. However, the Coast Guard only issues the Naval Flight Officer version of the astronaut insignia under the name "Coast Guard Astronaut insignia."
United States Air Force
U.S. Air Force Aeronautical Ratings
U.S. Air Force aeronautical ratings are military aviation skill standards established and awarded by the United States Air Force for commissioned officers participating in "regular and frequent flight", The standard by which flight status has been defined in law, executive orders, and regulations...
upon which is centered the Astronaut Device. The Air Force does not consider Astronaut to be a separate rating from its six established rating badges, but as a "qualifier" to them, and may only be awarded by the Air Force Chief of Staff after written application upon completion of an operational space mission. The rating of Observer is used for USAF Mission Specialist
Mission Specialist
A Mission Specialist is a position held by certain NASA astronauts during Space Shuttle missions. A Mission Specialist is assigned to a limited field of the mission, such as for medical experiments or technical quests....
s who have completed training but not a mission and are not otherwise aeronautically rated as a USAF pilot or USAF navigator. In 2007, the U.S. Air Force announced the opening of astronaut mission specialists positions to enlisted personnel who met certain eligibility requirements with insignia based on the USAF Enlisted Aircrew Badge with superimposed Astronaut Device. No enlisted astronaut badges are yet known to have been issued.
Civilian badges
NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
also has an Astronaut Badge, which is issued to civilian personnel who participate in U.S. space missions.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
has granted commercial astronaut
Commercial Astronaut
A commercial astronaut is a person trained to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a privately funded spacecraft.-Criteria:The criteria for determining who has achieved human spaceflight vary. The FAI defines spaceflight as any flight over of altitude...
wings to civilian pilots who have performed a successful spaceflight. Currently, only Mike Melvill
Mike Melvill
Michael Winston "Mike" Melvill is one of the test pilots for SpaceShipOne, the experimental spaceplane developed by Scaled Composites. Melvill piloted SpaceShipOne on its first flight past the edge of space, flight 15P on June 21, 2004, thus becoming the first commercial astronaut and the 434th...
and Brian Binnie
Brian Binnie
William Brian Binnie is a former United States Navy officer and is one of the test pilots for SpaceShipOne, the experimental spaceplane developed by Scaled Composites.-History:...
have these wings.
NASA Astronaut Pins
In addition to the Astronaut Badge, which is worn on a military uniform, an Astronaut Pin is also issued to all NASA astronauts. It is a lapel pin, worn on civilian clothing. The pin is issued in two grades, silver and gold, with the silver pin awarded to candidates who have successfully completed astronaut training and the gold pin to astronauts who have actually flown in space. Astronaut candidates are given silver pins but are required to purchase the gold pin at a cost of approximately $400.Apollo 12
Apollo 12
Apollo 12 was the sixth manned flight in the American Apollo program and the second to land on the Moon . It was launched on November 14, 1969 from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, four months after Apollo 11. Mission commander Charles "Pete" Conrad and Lunar Module Pilot Alan L...
astronaut Alan Bean
Alan Bean
Alan LaVern Bean is a former NASA astronaut, engineer, and painter. Bean was selected to become an astronaut by NASA in 1963 as part of Astronaut Group 3. He made his first flight into space aboard Apollo 12, the second manned mission to land on the Moon, at the age of thirty-seven years in...
took his silver pin to the Moon in November 1969 and left it on the lunar surface. He said later that since he had worn the silver pin for six years and that he would be wearing a gold pin after the mission, he would not be needing his silver one any more, so "what better place to leave it than on the moon?".
A unique astronaut pin was made for NASA astronaut Deke Slayton
Deke Slayton
Donald Kent Slayton , better known as Deke Slayton, was an American World War II pilot and later, one of the original NASA Mercury Seven astronauts....
in 1967. It was gold in color, but instead of the star, it had a small diamond in its place. It was made at the request of the crew of the first manned mission
Apollo 1
Apollo 1 was scheduled to be the first manned mission of the Apollo manned lunar landing program, with a target launch date of February 21, 1967. A cabin fire during a launch pad test on January 27 at Launch Pad 34 at Cape Canaveral killed all three crew members: Command Pilot Virgil "Gus"...
of the Apollo program as a tribute to Slayton's work at NASA. The idea was that everyone in the Astronaut Office had thought that Slayton would never get to fly in space (due to his heart murmur
Heart murmur
Murmurs are extra heart sounds that are produced as a result of turbulent blood flow that is sufficient to produce audible noise. Most murmurs can only be heard with the assistance of a stethoscope ....
; he would later fly on board the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
-Backup crew:-Crew notes:Jack Swigert had originally been assigned as the command module pilot for the ASTP prime crew, but prior to the official announcement he was removed as punishment for his involvement in the Apollo 15 postage stamp scandal.-Soyuz crew:...
as Docking Module Pilot), but as they knew that it was primarily because of him that they managed to do so, he should wear a gold pin rather than a silver one as a token of appreciation. As they knew that Slayton would refuse to wear exactly the same gold pin as veteran astronauts, the diamond was substituted. The pin was supposed to have been flown on board the Apollo 1 spacecraft, then given to Slayton after the mission was over. However, the Apollo 1 crew died in a fire during a training exercise in January 1967. The pin was given to Slayton by the widows of the dead crew as a token of condolence. This diamond-studded gold pin was later flown to the moon on Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
in July 1969.
See also
- Military badges of the United StatesMilitary badges of the United StatesMilitary badges of the United States are awards authorized by the United States armed forces that signify rating, qualification, or accomplishment in several career fields, and also serve as identification devices for personnel occupying certain assignments. Personal recognition is granted to...
- Badges of the United States Air ForceBadges of the United States Air ForceBadges of the United States Air Force are military awards authorized by the United States Air Force that signify aeronautical ratings, special skills, career field qualifications, and serve as identification devices for personnel occupying certain assignments...
- Badges of the United States ArmyBadges of the United States ArmyBadges of the United States Army are military decorations issued by the United States Department of the Army to soldiers who achieve a variety of qualifications and accomplishments while serving on active and reserve duty in the United States Army....
- Badges of the United States Coast GuardBadges of the United States Coast GuardBadges of the United States Coast Guard are issued by the Department of Homeland Security to members of the United States Coast Guard to denote certain qualifications, achievements, and postings to certain assignments...
- Badges of the United States Marine CorpsBadges of the United States Marine CorpsInsignia and badges of the United States Marine Corps are military "badges" issued by the United States Department of the Navy to Marines who achieve certain qualifications and accomplishments while serving on both active and reserve duty in the United States Marine Corps.As described in Chapters 4...
- Badges of the United States NavyBadges of the United States NavyInsignia and badges of the United States Navy are military "badges" issued by the United States Department of the Navy to naval service members who achieve certain qualifications and accomplishments while serving on both active and reserve duty in the United States Navy...
- Human spaceflightHuman spaceflightHuman spaceflight is spaceflight with humans on the spacecraft. When a spacecraft is manned, it can be piloted directly, as opposed to machine or robotic space probes and remotely-controlled satellites....
- Edge of space
- Space tourismSpace tourismSpace Tourism is space travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. A number of startup companies have sprung up in recent years, hoping to create a space tourism industry...
- SpaceplaneSpaceplaneA spaceplane is a vehicle that operates as an aircraft in Earth's atmosphere, as well as a spacecraft when it is in space. It combines features of an aircraft and a spacecraft, which can be thought of as an aircraft that can endure and maneuver in the vacuum of space or likewise a spacecraft that...