SpaceX's Boca Chica Rule Problem

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With space tourism now becoming real, the amount of rocket launches happening every year is going to increase drastically. This video looks at SpaceX's Boca Chica problem, how the FAA regulates spaceflight, and how that will have to change in the future.
Credit to Nadia for the thumbnail illustration nadia.illustrat...
Thanks to the following channels for their awesome footage!
APArchive / @aparchive
Rob Whitworth / kwhi02
Airbus / airbus
Spaceport3D / @spaceport3d
The Verge / theverge
RGVAerialPhotography / @rgvaerialphotography
Infinite Space / @infinitespacemedia
TijnM / @tijn_m
FAA / faanews
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Music used in this video:
» Stuck In The Air - The Tower Of Light
» Double You - The Mini Vandals
» In The Atmosphere - Bad Snacks
» No Return - Kevin MacLeod
» Sunset Trails - DJ Williams
» Sunrise In Paris - Dan Henig
Credits:
Written and edited by Ewan Cunningham ( / ewan_cee )
Narrated by: Beau Stucki
#SpaceX #BocaChica #SpaceTourism

[@primalspace]

For your chance to win two seats on one of the FIRST commercial flights to space with Virgin Galactic and support a great cause, enter at omaze.com/PrimalSpace

[@nightlightabcd]

What great cause are you referring to? Extremely expensive private carnival rides for the super wealthy that are probably tax evaders is NOT a great cause!

[@qwertyeet]

Not old enough

[@pancake4027]

@@nightlightabcd opens up an industry which could help the opening up of space infrastructure by encouraging rocket innovation, which could lead to things like asteroid mining

[@jozebutinar44]

thx no thx

[@cooldabadam]

@@pancake4027 And also increase death rates

[@InfiniteSpaceMedia]

Astronauts and Tourists are not the same. Astronauts spend their lives training, millionaire tourists go on joyrides. Great video!

[@lfcfan9353]

I don’t get why the tourists call themselves astronauts your not a pilot if you fly on a plane

[@michaeljaen5261]

i myself agree with this. it takes time effort and taking risk. tourist takes money and the risk.

[@Freak80MC]

As far as I'm aware, tourists still need to go through the same training an astronaut would

[@michaeljaen5261]

@@Freak80MC but not in Blue Origin and Virigin Galactic.

[@mukamuka0]

Absolutely agreed... When kids dreaming to become astronauts, it should have meant working hard and I'm best of the best, not get rich and I'll go drink beer in space

[@MCRuCr]

I'd prefer 8 days on ISS for 20 mio$ instead of those lousy 20 minutes

[@redpug5042]

soon it'll be 2 million to get a couple hundred people to the ISS... or 150+ tons... or just make its own station, seeing is it has pretty much the same pressurized volume as the ISS.

[@jackyboi8832]

My dads boss who’s a billionaire paid 25 million dollars to go the space station and he did this twice

[@sidv4615]

@@jackyboi8832 what’s his name?

[@jackyboi8832]

@@sidv4615 Charles simonyi and my dad is the captain of his privat yacht SKAT

[@sidv4615]

@@jackyboi8832 didn’t he work with bill gates or something?

[@almafuertegmailcom]

My plan was to disguise myself as a wheel of cheese and hang around Boca Chica, but this might work too.

[@andreasitarica469]

Same bro, seems like a good idea

[@Julian_Mor-zl3ll]

One day we will look back on our previous space travel and realize how advanced we have become.

[@2KOOLURATOOLGaming]

I think that the exact moment when that happens for me, is when we manage to assemble a craft in space that journeys to another celestial body.

[@irri4662]

I look at space x ,and say that everyday.

[@thesauce1682]

That day won't come because of climate change.

[@irri4662]

@@thesauce1682 yee of little faith.

[@weebgrinder]

Really? SpaceX fans here are more impressed by Falcon 9 and Dragon 2 than Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo? Hmm

[@tomwatts703]

To me there'll always be a difference between 'someone who has spent years of their life training to fly into space and do work that will benefit humanity as a whole' and 'millionaire who can afford hundreds of thousands of dollars for a seat and is doing it purely for their own enjoyment'. Call them what they are: tourists, not astronauts.

[@smittyjohnson9554]

Those millionaires are going to pay for the R&D to make space affordable to the general public. Just like rich people paid for the R&D for affordable commercial airlines. If that isn't doing good for humanity, I don't know what is. I don't really care if they call them astronauts or not though. I doubt they care very much either.

[@user-hh2is9kg9j]

@@smittyjohnson9554 Thank you!

[@michaeljava8736]

it is the same thing with plane pilots and plane passengers.

[@ThekZnation]

True, I think there's a huge difference in astronaut and someone whose intention for going to space is simply travel. Astronaut will always be someone, whose intentions for going to space is scientific or beneficial in any other way for mankind.

[@weebgrinder]

Isn't Starship more the latter without the wealth? At least in theory...

[@mikaxms]

I’d make the distinction between professional astronauts and commercial astronauts.

[@jack.h99]

They're astropassengers or something like that. The first millionares who rode in big planes weren't in the same league as ace pilots.

[@cdemr]

@@jack.h99 They're literally Space tourists. Why trying to invent a new word when there's already an existing one? It's like people are trying to solve a non-existent problem

[@HALLish-jl5mo]

@@jack.h99 Although almost no astronaut is piloting their spaceship. Most are payload specialists, which in an aircraft analogy is cabin crew (passengers bring the payload of a commercial aircraft). You also can't just say commercial, because the actual pilot of virgin galactic are also commercial

[@eyeborg3148]

Such a distinction already exists. NASA created “commercial astronaut wings” for a reason.

[@RastaPilot737]

Astrotourists

[@dummyjoe7895]

5:40 the launch of SN11 being delayed was due to SpaceX telling the FAA director that he could go home after him already being there a week. They then changed their minds on a weekend when the FAA guy was off work, so he didn’t see his email and couldn’t book a flight back to Boca.

[@neonempire1684]

sneaky

[@ronblack7870]

if your job is that important check your email on weekends

[@dummyjoe7895]

@@ronblack7870 but he was off on the weekends. He didn’t need to check his emails if he was off work. He was probably tired sitting there for a week already doing nothing while SpaceX was trying to make up their minds.

[@andrew1717xx]

This is exactly why people complaining about problems in a non constructive way are a waste of time.

[@glenith50]

"Astronaut" 😂🤣 By that logic then I'm a pilot, a sailor and a bus driver because I've been a passenger on an aeroplane, a cruise ship and a London bus.

[@Mitch.Buchannon]

There haven’t been any astronauts so far. Astronaut is derives from ancient Greek, meaning “sailor to the stars”. If you’re referring to people going to space, the correct term in Greek would be kosmonaut (as long as they’re not on an interstellar voyage). Of course you could also use the German word “Raumfahrer”, Chinese “Taikonaut”, French “Spationaut”, Indian “Viomanaut” but they all mean the same: “Sailor trough space”. Since sailor is a profession, these terms should only be used for professionals (and not tourists).

[@iplaygames8090]

@@Mitch.Buchannon there have. Perhaps not in a word to word definition but amerikan kosmonauts are named astronauts.

[@surfside75]

Bro, your a Time Traveler!😂

[@davidlamb1107]

8:05 incorrect. The "two additional test flights" MIGHT have been necessary, but it turned out only one was needed. And those were required to get the license. They have the license, and there were no additional required flights once that happened.

[@charlesrovira5707]

Not everyone who travels by car is a *_driver._* Not everyone who travels by boat is a *_sailor._* Not everyone who travels by plane is a *_pilot._* Not everyone who travels by rocket is an *_astronaut._* The rest are all *_passengers._*

[@Itsfalcon9]

astronaut: a person who is trained to travel in a spacecraft. *All of these recent passengers received training to travel in a spacecraft made for space.

[@weebgrinder]

Thing is: driver, captain, and pilot refer to operating the vehicle more than the word astronaut does. I realized you said sailor but captain would make more sense given the other two terms.

[@CHMichael]

20 mil for 8 days is cheep compared to 250 for 5 minutes close to space. Today's money too.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

A well known aviation joke: _"I am from the FAA,_ *AND* _I am here to help you."_ 😊😊😊

[@2006Neon2006]

your transitions to sponsors are always SO smooth, i never see it coming

[@Jeffersonian1]

I am reminded, not for the first time, of the whole FAA subplot in John Ross' novel _Unintended Consequences._

[@rkaid7]

TIL, the US’s FAA controls a trip to space from anywhere in the world?

[@Yrlish]

For US based companies only of course.

[@huvudpersson7344]

"Everyone needs approval from the FAA, the FAA controls all aspects of aviation!" ...except if you are, like, anywhere except the US. Typically american :)

[@iplaygames8090]

@@huvudpersson7344 well most people in his audience are likely amerikan.

[@fayyazmuhammadihsan5787]

If they're astronauts, then I'm a pilot!

[@brett4264]

Good video. I didn't know the FAA condensed those four regulations. Cheers to the FAA for that.

[@lucidmoses]

Do you have any more information on the launch tower thing? I thought the FAA only has jurisdiction over then using the launch tower. Not building it.

[@joesephbidomeus2134]

4:34 Kerbal Space Program Music

[@haroldinho9930]

Yay

[@TenthSet2]

Where is part 450? I'm not seeing it in the FAR AIM Also, I get that the FAA can be difficult to deal with, but you can't really blame them when SpaceX is actively going against their rulings. As a pilot myself, I know not to mess with the FAA because they can be horrible to deal with, SpaceX doesn't just get to bend the rules in the name of innovation.

[@will7846]

It won't be something in the FAR AIM, I feel, you'd need to look in a directory of the CFRs. They really should just go by the rules, anyway. The FAA is very clearly changing them as things develop, too, I remember in March there were a few changes that went into effect.

[@Fummy007]

Funfact: Virgin Galactic doesnt go above the Karman line (the official definition of space)

[@daanydoomboy5593]

Funfact: The ACTUAL Kármán line is at 83km: the minimum height needed for a sattelite where aerodynamic forces are drasticly reduced. The US 80km (50 miles) definition of space is closer to the truth than the 100km internationally defined line.

[@Fummy007]

@@daanydoomboy5593 Pretty sure no satellites orbit under 100km. typically 160km is the lowest for satellites

[@daanydoomboy5593]

@@Fummy007 no sattelites orbit at 100km also. That's not the point. Go read the part about technical considerations en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line

[@texaswunderkind]

FUN FACT: The atmosphere extends up for 300 miles, so there isn't a clear line between the atmosphere and space. Or do you expect space tourists to fly to an altitude of 1.5 million feet before getting a certificate?

[@daanydoomboy5593]

@@texaswunderkind it even extends up to 1000 miles, and further. Its just 0.00001%

[@havocblast8737]

Even as a GA pilot most of us think the FAA is slow, outdated, and just overall a pain in the butt

[@newguy3588]

Elon just ignored them, Trump commented on it too. He's like: good for him.

[@james.5692]

I feel like the idea of commercial travel via a starship would face too many obstacles to be worth it. It also feels like a waste of Space X's time when they probably would rather focus mainly on the Moon and Mars. I know their main goals have generally changed and they are now building Starship to get humanity multi-planetary so it does seem like they have noticed amount of issues that would crop up if they used the largest and most powerful rocket ever for quick hops across the world. My idea of the best scenario would be that Virgin Galactic get focused on raising enough money to make their trips cheaper and more accessible for the public. This is because they literally have a space plane; it would be way better suited for normal people than a rocket would. Blue Origin obviously needs to pick up the pace and stop filing lawsuits like there's no tomorrow as their ideas are extremely promising and would be great for the environment on Earth. Just imagine three large scale space companies all doing different things that not only make them profit but progress and help humanity and Earth. Space X on colonising the Moon and Mars, Blue Origin putting factories on the Moon so they don't pollute Earth, and Virgin Galactic providing much faster flights than any aircraft.

[@magister61]

If the FAA had existed in 1903 the Wright brothers would never have been able to make their first flight

[@HangTimeDeluxe]

LOL!

[@DavidHRyall]

Can't govern something that hasn't even happened yet

[@imulippo5245]

@@DavidHRyall but governments claim to have the right to tax people that haven't been born yet. :)

[@nczioox1116]

Uhmm you do realize that there was a recent 10 year period where there were NO FATAL commercial plane crashes in the US? FAA is doing a pretty do job at keeping air travel in the US safe...

[@magister61]

@@nczioox1116 You know what I am talking about. I am talking about excesive regulations, permissions and etc etc Wright bros had really freedom to make everything they wanted and that is the natural way the creative human activities should be. In the same way an artist like a musician should not be reglulated in his/her creative process, the inventors should not be regulated if you want a pure creative process that is the force behind the modern society progress

[@fishmarkholmes1834]

Very useful video, thanks 👍

[@qpwodkgh2010]

Nicely done. SpaceX and the FAA as well as Blue Origin and all the rest, will get along. They have too and to see this video, thanks for the input that the FAA is streamlining the process. Cheers.

[@TechWikiOfficial]

Amazing

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

*sits in passenger seat.* ima astronaut lawl xD

[@chaosfire321]

I can't wait to see where private spaceflight is a decade from now!

[@joshmellon390]

A lifetime of commitment, and even then you might not get to be an astronaut. I welcome this entirely.

[@futurist4453]

I love KSP soundtrack in the background there

[@Milk-ew4pf]

"regulation will always lag behind"

[@aritakalo8011]

Well it is it's job to keep the extremes in bay. It's whole job is to be the brake man in the breakneck speed technological world. To take the time and make sure "These guys won't be dropping 500 tons of LOX on middle of Manhattan and burning couple hundred people due to horrible guidance design and no flight termination system." I would be really worried, if SpaceX, Blue Origin and other new space companies weren't complaining about how much time and effort passing the regulatory scrutiny takes. When Company is happy with regulator.... something is off. Either one has found the worlds most saintly company or the regulator is not doing their job.

[@fabioferreiragomes]

INCRÍVEL..ESPETACULAR...

[@alien216]

Great choice KSP music!

[@Y.M...]

The FAA is the least of their problems with the 1,000 passenger ship. It is physically impossible to fit that many people in the said spaceship.

[@2KOOLURATOOLGaming]

Who said 1000? I've only ever heard 100 which I think is possible with Starship, and with weight to spare.

[@Y.M...]

oops, I'm an order of magnitude too high on the 1,000. 100 is not feasible either

[@Y.M...]

Watch: "'How Starship Will SQUASH Long Haul Aviation' : BUSTED!!" kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3-ln2CNaNqDjrM

[@2KOOLURATOOLGaming]

@@Y.M... Even he gets 1000 from somewhere lol. I can't remember what video turned me off watching Thunderfoot but it wasn't this one. I'm not a Musk fanatic but I am glad SpaceX exists. I know that this stuff had been done a lot. Landing rockets on Earth most definitely has not. I watched 15 minutes of the video so sorry if I didn't get to the part where he debunks stuff. I am saying that Starship could carry 100 people from one part of Earth to another. I'm not saying it's a viable business model or that it's better than air travel. But it could be done. Technically Starship could abort during launch using the second stage but that's hella risky. It will be one hell of a rocket, not like anything so far. There's a reason it had been chosen for the Human Lander System. No other rocket in existence will have the ability to carry a large volume of people with lots of cargo to the moon. Yes, it will need many launches, 7 to fuel it back up in orbit. Without refueling, a max-weight starship only has enough fuel to deorbit I think. Not even enough to get to the ISS. The Raptor engine is also one of a kind and I doubt SpaceX are going to fail in designing a reliable turbopump. Raptor V2 will obviously be better and that design is being finalised. It doesn't matter that some of this stuff had been done before, it hasn't all been done on the same launch vehicle.

[@Brixxter]

@@2KOOLURATOOLGaming Musk himself said 1000. He just likes to throw these numbers out there without thinking about them.

[@Brixxter]

You didn't talk about public safety at all, which is the main objective behind the FAA's actions. They definitely should work more efficiently but you portray them like they're just in the way, which is very one sided.

[@SylviaRustyFae]

Yea, mentioned how when the FAAs rules were ignored that it caused a major explosion; and completely glosses over it after stating such to go on to claim that the FAA is outdated and needs to be less stringent. If anything, the FAA shud make it so their person holds one of the launch keys for every flight and that none of these rich fuckwits cant fly without full authorization. Bcuz ignoring them **will** cause death and destruction.

[@Brixxter]

@@SylviaRustyFae SpaceX not listening to the FAA didn't cause the explosion of SN8 but I get your point and I agree. While there is unnecessary bureaucracy involved in their procedures the main idea behind them shouldn't be abandoned. Removing critical steps from the approval requirements to "streamline" the approval process will inevitably cause companies to neglect human safety more and more, which is bound to cause disaster.

[@sadiqahmed4143]

@@Brixxter although spacex is rapidly prototyping So SN8 is actually worth

[@Brixxter]

@@sadiqahmed4143 worth what

[@ryanthompson3737]

@@Brixxter Ah yes because the government has NEVER valued anything above human safety.... there's a dead teacher in the middle of the ocean who'd like to speak to you.

[@ashpjangde]

I want you and all the other space nerds out there to win these two seats.

[@ianalfonzo8226]

"It needs to be as easy as booking a plane ticket" in 2021, booking a flight just keeps getting harder and harder... We want it easier than that, or it will never be something for the masses.

[@Builder707]

Honestly, i wouldn't want to be on one of the FIRST flights. Flight 42? Maybe...

[@aashishmanuelnoronhaforran8947]

The background KSP music made this video perfect

[@dinorei7364]

@ 8:28 "Please Mr. Branson...I already told you can´t open the windows..."

[@t.3465]

If I'm not wrong, FAA only monitors American spaceflight and air travel. I don't think this applies internationally as other countries have their own spaceflight administrations

[@Rieny880]

The perfect sponsorship offers doesn't exis..

[@Link-yp2ki]

The idea of earth to earth rocket travel is unbelievably stupid. Not only would it be far too expensive to be successful (RE: Concorde), but the environmental impacts would be exponentially larger than regular air travel.

[@2KOOLURATOOLGaming]

Ye but cool. BWWGGAAAAHHHHHH space man

[@SylviaRustyFae]

And it wud become commonplace among the hyperwealthy who alrdy are causing untold environmental damage in every way they can. This is maddening that these flights are allowed at all.

[@Brixxter]

Airplanes are also orders of magnitude more redundant. A single flap failure would mean certain death for the passengers on Starship. Many people seem to think that no abort system whatsoever would be a good idea for Starship and I absolutely don't agree with that.

[@guilhermep.petreski9613]

What's the name of the movie in the middle of the video?

[@chronovore7234]

Airplane!

[@aidansky55]

I hate how they call rich people who go to space “Astronauts”, at least real astronauts had a contribution to science and space exploration

[@com-ev5wq]

But rich people also have contribution in science by going to space if you wider Ur veiw.

[@cdemr]

A Space tourist is completely different from an Astronaut in my opinion

[@DOSFS]

Astronaut has its own meaning, called them Space tourists will be more suited.

[@RetroBerner]

A$$tronauts

[@2KOOLURATOOLGaming]

They contribute a fraction of their wealth to personally explore space. At least we get the small benefit of them encouraging everyday people to work toward space.

[@tommyowen529]

FAA inspector couldn't make it down in time?? I'd be there 3 days early.

[@blackf1ng3r62]

When things change as quickly as they can / do, there should be a permanent FAA person stationed within driving distance at all times .

[@kurtnelle]

The FAA in US airspace. There are lots of places where the FAA has no jurisdiction.

[@soisaus564]

Me who gets spacex notifications of starlink launches constantly: how

[@RetroBerner]

Just rich people doing whatever they want whenever the rules don't make sense to them. I can't even build a shed on my own property without the local government shitting a brick.

[@jack.h99]

Imagine being able to catch rain water that falls from the sky for free without the local government getting in your way

[@svgorkom]

@@jack.h99 wtf??

[@drew8256]

The FAA should charge a fee for the spaceport, and make sure they have a Starbucks at the departure port.

[@piemanpieman3000]

This sounds more like a SpaceX not listening to the regulator problem!

[@snuffeldjuret]

you're messing me up with that "RGV-music" :D.

[@stevechance150]

Elon: "Hello, Mexico, I'm shutting down SpaceX and starting a new rocket company called SpaceX2, outside the U.S. Would you be interested in hosting my new company? Mexico: "YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!

[@Steph.98114]

Why does the FAA have a say in the launch tower?

[@Irobert1115HD]

astronaut/cosmonaut is a title given to folks that did at least one orbit around earth. also hundreds of rockets: it takews hours to fule a rocket and that time the thing is on the ramp. only esa fuels its rockets before launch.

[@blazgrabnar4232]

That KSP space thme in the background...

[@michelbruns]

0:41 actually, astronaut means something like "space sailor" or something like that

[@2KOOLURATOOLGaming]

Star navigator? Astro-Naut (like nautilus) I've heard that Cosmonaut is actually a more fitting description for space travelers instead of just someone who stays around Earth but I don't know if the American government would ever like using that lol

[@michelbruns]

@@2KOOLURATOOLGaming star navigator, what ever something like that, not that one from the video

[@2KOOLURATOOLGaming]

@@michelbruns What, I don't understand you?

[@michelbruns]

@@2KOOLURATOOLGaming space sailor, star navigator, something like that doesnt matter, it was definitely not what he said in the video

[@talgilichinsky6248]

My man uploads once a year

[@thepeff]

I will die with my two feet firm on planet earth and I am perfectly fine with that

[@lohphat]

Just because you were a passenger doesn't make you an astronaut for the same reason riding in 1st class doesn't make you a pilot.

[@Itsfalcon9]

Your understanding of the word Astronaut is flawed.

[@HALLish-jl5mo]

Most astronauts aren't pilots either. They are payload specialists. And most of the pilots never actually end up flying the rocket. Nobody has ever piloted a vehicle into orbit, and most reentry is automatic, asside from the shuttle

[@lohphat]

@@HALLish-jl5mo They are trained in operations of the mission, I doubt the rich kids were as PR payloads. Call them what they were: passengers.

[@Mitch.Buchannon]

There haven’t been any astronauts so far. Astronaut is derives from ancient Greek, meaning “sailor to the stars”. If you’re referring to people going to space, the correct term in Greek would be kosmonaut (as long as they’re not on an interstellar voyage). Of course you could also use the German word “Raumfahrer”, Chinese “Taikonaut”, French “Spationaut”, Indian “Viomanaut” but they all mean the same: “Sailor trough space”. Since sailor is a profession, these terms should only be used for professionals (and not tourists).

[@skillfulfighter23]

I hear that KSP music in the background lmao

[@scottd9448]

Going up high is not really going into space. When we can orbit the planet for a day & then return, that is really going into space.

[@tartiflett5248]

I disagree. First men were making suborbital flights and this was science, but if you make a distinction between first test flights and the other ones, it looks ok for me :) but what about first flights of every New type of rocket, like the New sheppard ? Cause in this case, as first crew/passengers, they did a bit of science data, at least for the company, and so they deserve the 'astronaut' title, exactly like Alan Sheppard and his suborbital flight ;)

[@Kev2980]

Virginia galactic and blue origin customers aren't astronauts, they're space travellers. SpaceX customers are trained to pilot and override the autonomous dragon, so despite not being the same level of astronaut as Armstrong, I still consider them astronauts

[@vikumwijekoon3166]

FAA isnt great for airplanes either considering they messed up the boeing 737 max situation pretty bad

[@badwolf5245]

My problem with Space x's plan right now is there is absolutely nothing to do in space. They need to build a moon carnival or something that's worth my money.

[@benzerd7807]

How about launching rockets in Australia instead?

[@horizonsmusic9673]

Lol nice airplane reference

[@TwinbornMist]

Was it just me or was that window open in the beginning

[@reggiep75]

I think it's disingenuous to call people travelling into space astronauts/cosmonauts. Historically, those people were professionals who'd spent years training in a lot of areas to finally get into space and do missions, even if in the early days it was to observe a lot of things and their craft were an autonomous paths. The others, the tax dodgers, who've accumulated millions by not paying their full taxes, are little more than travellers hence the reason the terminology 'space traveller' exists. Technically, we've paid for them to have a jolly out there in space when they pay less than 1% in taxes in some nations they make profits it. #SpaceTravellers

[@rock3tcatU233]

Imagine training your entire life to become an elite ISS astronaut, only to be joined by an annoying Tiktok millionaire...

[@SomeNot]

The FAA also only have jurisdiction over US airspace and vehicles flying there.

[@selener_sense]

faa: you can’t fly sn8 today spacex: ok cry me a river ima do it anyway 😒

[@dmhendricks]

> "Just like traditional aircraft, each vehicle needs to be approved by the FAA in order for it to start flying regular passengers. The FAA is in charge of regulating all aspects of aviation..." Not true. The FAA only has jurisdiction in the United States and over international waters where it has been delegated such authority by ICAO. Russia, China and other countries don't need permission from the U.S.

[@VictorFAmaya]

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines astronaut as "a person who travels beyond the earth's atmosphere". It makes no mention at all to being "trained". There is a difference between fighter pilots, commercial pilots, and private pilots. They all require different trainings and qualifications, but they are ALL pilots. The same must be applied to astronauts. There is a difference between government astronauts (NASA/Military), commercial astronauts (like the crew operating SpaceShipTwo), and private astronauts. They all require different trainings and qualifications, but they are ALL astronauts.

[@jdg7327]

If you're going to argue your definitions then get it right. "Beyond Earth's atmosphere" does not simply mean you reach a zero gravity state (technically falling) it goes wayyy beyond that. Even the ISS is still inside "Earth's atmosphere". If you're going to call all persons who reached the upper atmosphere all astronauts, then I'll call myself an Airplane Pilot because I rode an airplane and achieved lift.

[@mukamuka0]

Most astronauts are not pilot/fly rocket to space anymore. It's all automate and they're just rider. However, they are still Astronauts because after they arrives at ISS...you know. They're still in space and they are continuing to live and work in space. Tourist on the other hand, just riding to space and come back without do any job during the time they are spent in Space.

[@OlafoWaffle]

All of them have to pass a flight physical and certify in a fighter jet as part of their training.

[@Duraltia]

Looks like someone didn't get the *FAA's* recent memo about who can call him/herself an *Astronaut,* eh? 🤔

[@Mr6Sinner]

Astronaut is a profession, not an Xbox Achievement...

[@nocivolive]

who cares about the title? Is still a great experience. You can float around for a bit and see the earth from space. Is a great view and wonderful experience that will get cheaper and better over time. I hope one day is cheap enough so I can ride it with a few years of saving but not long enough to the point I have to piss and shit in space. I think if they can meet the 1-2 hours of fly in 0 gravity, we can call a huge success.

[@joysonbaretto3690]

@@nocivolive it's not easy bro 🙂

[@joshjohnsonaudio]

anyone else hear the KSP music at 5:26?

[@mr.chalipcrusader4553]

Seeing galactic wars happening from a very very very very very far distance would be nice to watch but this is 2021 not the far far far future

[@regolith1350]

1) I fully support space tourism. 2) Space tourists are not astronauts. They are... tourists. 3) Language is imperfect and all categories have fuzzy boundaries, so in the absence of a better solution I’m ok with people like Dennis Tito and Anousheh Ansari being grandfathered in to astronaut status, but we shouldn’t allow these few exceptions to define the rule going forward. Astronaut is a profession, not an altitude or a travel destination. It involves training, discipline, dedication, mission duties, acceptance of risk and responsibility for others. Astronauts enjoy a unique status in society. They carry with them 6 decades of goodwill, admiration, and respect that have been EARNED, not purchased. Handing out astronaut status to paying customers on 10 minutes joyrides would massively dilute and cheapen the meaning of that word. Astronauts are still astronauts even if they’ve never been to space. Tourists are not astronauts even if they have.

[@LostintheLoops]

Are they use MATLAB?

[@lone5tr]

This is getting personal

[@dhruvgangwar2679]

yes but have you been an astronaut in the ocean?

[@jdg7327]

Astronauts - a train person riding a spacecraft Space Tourist - a person touring in space. I don't know why this is so hard to grasp. You don't get to call yourself an airplane pilot just because you rode an airplane. Also the term "space" is rather loose. Do you mean passing the Karman Line? Being in or outside Earth's orbit? Or falling down from a high place? Then by the same token, if you jumped then "technically" you've been in "space" for a few milliseconds.

[@ReachOutToWilliam]

Musk needs to follow the rules. Boca Chica needs a full NEPA EIS for Starship. When that is completed, the FAA can start to approve the needed licenses. The EIS from 2014 is insufficient for Starship. Regulatory requirements need to be followed, or changed by lawmakers and agencies. Situations like Musk's continuation of building the tower without permission and the launch of SN8 after the FAA pulled the plug only point out the need for close oversight and additional analysis.

[@Shadow__X]

Fromcnow on, I'll call former "astronauts" "professional astronauts" and keep the old name for tourists

[@ApynAviation335]

I kinda hope there isn’t 100s of space launches per day.

[@Jaxvidstar]

Would the FAA be a pain the in neck if there was different administration?

[@ducky2996]

The FAA always has been and always will be a pain in the ass

[@lknanml]

The people in space suits you ask to take a picture of your family keep floating off never to be seen again? One hand for the ship and one hand for the camera people....

[@michelbruns]

2:12 meanwhile in the other 99% of the world:

[@chelsheet]

Does the FAA control all the world's flights

[@regolith1350]

The real problems with space tourism as presented by Blue Virgin / Galactic Origin: 1) While their service is ostensibly a flight into space, what they’re actually selling is the promise of a near-religious “Overview Effect (tm)” in space, and the aura of “ASTRONAUT” status back on earth. a) they can’t guarantee or have any control whatsoever over the emotional/metaphysical response of passengers, and b) the handing out of “astronaut” status willy nilly to all customers cheapens their very product and gradually makes it less special, less appealing. 2) The second major problem is they missed their window. The ideal time for suborbital space tourism was 10 years ago. As we speak, SpaceX is preparing Inspiration4, their first all-civilian ORBITAL spaceflight of several DAYS, not several minutes. SpaceX also has multiple civilian missions slated to visit the International Space Station (organized by Axiom and with NASA’s blessing) starting early 2022. And finally, SpaceX’s game-changing, history-making civilian trip around the moon, Apollo 8 style. The brainchild of Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, the “Dear Moon” project will be all kinds of amazing and garner worldwide attention. All of these much longer duration orbital trips will make Blue/Virgin’s 3 minutes of weightlessness feel underwhelming and unsatisfying in the extreme, and quite frankly not good value for money. The wealthiest people on Blue Virgin’s waiting lists will jump ship to real (orbital) spaceflight trips, leaving the Sub-Orbs with the less profitable dregs.

[@yagyeshtripathi7167]

Why you didn't mention that explosion was due to engine failure and not due to bad weather? You are being just snarky these days.

[@thegrumpydragon7601]

A man can only wish

[@adistroianu363]

“Huge advancements” Shows new Shepard

[@lostpony4885]

Interplanetary citizens may ignore Earthbound regulators who are pulled down by gravity.

[@derteufel7981]

These same ppl that complain about clinate change and blame it on human activity are the same ppl that will pay millions and expend an exorbitant amount of energy to "tour" space .... Also the same ppl that go against the rules without punishment

[@fortitudevalance8424]

Can someone send Mark Zuckerberg into space on a craft with no heat shield.