Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy clarified the definition of an "astronaut" following Blue Origin's recent suborbital mission.
The Blue Origin NS-31 mission carried an all-female, six-member crew, including celebrities, into space beyond the Kármán line, with Blue Origin referring to them as "astronauts."
Duffy stated that these crewmembers do not meet the FAA's astronaut criteria, which requires demonstrated activities essential to public or human spaceflight safety during the flight.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy took to X on Thursday evening to clarify the definition of an “astronaut.” His comments follow this week’s Blue Origin mission.
Ryan is Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group, overseeing a portfolio that includes FLYING, AirlineGeeks, AVweb, Plane + Pilot, KITPLANES, and AircraftForSale.com. He founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has more than a decade of experience across aviation media, airport operations, airline workforce planning, and Part 135 regulatory compliance. His experience ranges from time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing aviation industry executives. Ryan holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and is an adjunct instructor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
