Astronaut Badge

Under the terms Astronaut Badge or Astronaut Wings ( German about astronaut badge or astronaut wings ) refers to a group of American symbols and badges that used to refer to military and civilian individuals who made ​​a space and / or through the associated training have.

There are several astronauts badges that have different characteristics and are used by various U.S. authorities. The U.S. armed forces impart their relatives own astronauts badges that are worn as an activity badge on the uniform. All these badges are also found on the nameplates of the NASA astronauts often worn blue overalls training. No official badge on the other hand is the " NASA Astronaut Pin", which was introduced by the NASA astronauts themselves.

  • 3.1 insignia of the U.S. Army
  • 3.2 Badges for the U.S. Air Force
  • 3.3 insignia of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard

Requirements

According to the definition of the international Air Transport Association (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) is an astronaut who has reached an altitude of more than 100 kilometers on a mission. This height limit - also known as the Kármán line - serves both NASA and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ( Federal Aviation Administration) as a criterion.

In the U.S. armed forces are different requirements: To receive a military Astronaut Badge, a soldier, the aviator badge of the U.S. armed forces has already ( the Aircrew Badge ) have, which is awarded officers by the end of the flight school, and in addition to a spacecraft in more than 50 miles ( 80 kilometers ) have participated above sea level.

Civilian badges

Badges NASA

The first U.S. astronauts were members of the armed forces, and therefore wore the appropriate military astronaut badges. With the selection of the first civilian astronaut candidates own badge was created for them. This is especially common to see photos of Space Shuttle mission specialist, usually on the nameplate of her blue overalls training. The emblem shows golden wings, between a shooting star, by an ellipse (symbol of an orbit ) flies. Until 2004, this was in the U.S., the only civilian badge for astronauts, as all men and women to whom it was awarded, the Astronaut Badge by a space flight by NASA or - in the case of seven pilots - through a space flight with the Experimental Aircraft North American X - 15 of the United States Air Force had earned.

Badge of the FAA

Came in 2004 the test pilot Michael Melvill and Brian Binnie, the first space flight without the involvement of the U.S. government, as they performed several suborbital flights aboard the rocket-powered experimental aircraft SpaceShipOne by Scaled Composites. The Federal Aviation Administration gives since civilian pilots who have performed a successful spaceflight, also an astronaut badge as a Commercial Astronaut (about: commercial air astronaut). Melvill and Binnie are so far the only carrier of this badge.

Military insignia

For members of the U.S. Armed Forces there own astronauts badges that are worn in addition to the uses described as activity badge on the uniform. Each strike force in giving out their own version of the Astronaut Badge. It consists of the standard Aviator Badge ( United States Aviator Badge ) of the armed force, on its escutcheon the astronaut emblem is, a shooting star flying by an ellipse (symbol of an orbit ). The badge of the United States Army and the U.S. Air Force will also be awarded in three grades. The Senior Astronaut Badge is characterized by a star above the escutcheon, the Master / Command Astronaut Badge by a star with a laurel wreath.

Badge of the U.S. Army

Launched on May 17, 1983 the United States Army Astronaut Badge is awarded in increments Army Astronaut, Senior and Master Army Army astronaut astronaut. If the astronaut yet received no Aircrew Badge, it is first awarded this.

Badges for the U.S. Air Force

The United States Air Force gives her astronaut badges in three shades out: Basic, Senior and Command. The badge consists of a standard aviator badge of the U.S. Air Force, on which the astronaut emblem is attached. In the Air Force 's astronaut badge is not regarded as a separate badge next to the activity badges ( as a pilot, weapons officer, navigator, etc.), but as an additional description. It is awarded only after a written application upon completion of a space mission by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Mission specialists who have completed the training, but not the mission and do not wear badges as a pilot or navigator, as Observer ( German: Observer ) classified.

Badge of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard

The astronaut badge for naval aviation of the United States Navy has no degrees and consists of the badge for Navy pilots (United States Naval Aviator ) or flight officers of the Navy ( Naval Flight Officer Insignia ) with a centrally mounted astronaut emblem.

Astronauts from the United States Marine Corps and the United States Coast Guard received the same education and the same insignia as those of the Navy.

Astronaut Pin NASA

Since 1963, a astronaut pin exists called Button, which was introduced by the NASA astronauts themselves and in contrast to the other astronaut badges worn on civilian clothes. Candidates who have undergone astronaut training successfully will receive a silver needle; they have completed a successful space flight, carry a golden needle. All these needles have to be paid. Deke Slayton, who was excluded from the moon flights due to medical problems, received by the astronauts of the Apollo program, a special version of this Button, who wore a diamond instead of the star of the star.

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