What do you think about Inspiration 4?

[Pawelk198604]

I wonder does Inspiration 4 participants get Astronaut wings?

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

They will have orbited - I think the question comes down to whether they did any work, or were just tourists 

Edit - remember, the tradition comes from the ability to wear the unique insignia of the astronaut on your military uniform.  Given that most early astronauts (kosmonauts) were military officers - that makes sense.   A pair of astronaut wings above your flight wings?  Yeah everyone else in the O-Club is jelly.

Some of those folks are kind of particular about who qualifies for the title.  Given that they had to go through a rigorous and highly exclusionary process to even qualify, much less get off the planet - there is a bit of quiet pushback against letting Bezos type tourists call themselves astronauts. 

 

Also, wearing military stuff like badges and medals looks kind of silly in civilian attire.

 

Not looking sideways at you, Russia 

 

 

(much) 

Edited September 10, 2021 by JoeSchmuckatelli

[Beccab]

They recently confirmed they will make health-related research in orbit, so I believe the answer is yes

[DDE]

14 minutes ago, JoeSchmuckatelli said:

Not looking sideways at you, Russia 

I mean, what have you gitta do when you hand out military-style medals to civilians.

But, yeah, our agencies have heard you... and have come up with a ridiculous variety of military-esque uniforms.

Spoiler

NOONE EXPECTS THE SANITARY INSPECTION!

 

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

Lolz! 

Would look pretty snazzy on this, too

 

 

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

Oh - and let me add: the Netflix show(s) on the 'mission' are a master class on 'how to take the sting out of a vanity project accusation'. 

You have the high flying billionaire guy who has done some of the stuff and looks the part of a person who qualified to be an astronaut (unironically sitting next to a 20 year Airforce vet who's now employed by SX and is NOT going), the St. Jude tie-in who cannot be beaten for being up-beat, the actually a good guy schmoe who won a contest - and one qualified (almost) former astronaut candidate with a professional degree - who's 51 and pretty much awesome. 

Bezos and Branson have got to be furious. (And should be trying to hire the PR genius behind this) 

[tater]

I think it's a cool flight.

As for the astronaut wings? Certainly actual orbit makes more sense than suborbital, and while I get the idea of doing some sort of research, I reamain of the mind that "astronaut," "cosmonaut," etc should be reserved for professionals. At some point going to space—even to orbit—might become something many people can afford, and me going to a space hotel when I am 80 for a few days would not make me an astronaut.

[kerbiloid]

1 hour ago, JoeSchmuckatelli said:

 A pair of astronaut wings above your flight wings? 

Spoiler

The Astronaut Fame Board.

 

Also let's remember the (boy/girl/whatever)scout uniform.

Spoiler

 

Edited September 10, 2021 by kerbiloid

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

26 minutes ago, kerbiloid said:

Also let's remember

 

 

[tater]

27 minutes ago, JoeSchmuckatelli said:

Oh - and let me add: the Netflix show(s) on the 'mission' are a master class on 'how to take the sting out of a vanity project accusation'. 

You have the high flying billionaire guy who has done some of the stuff and looks the part of a person who qualified to be an astronaut (unironically sitting next to a 20 year Airforce vet who's now employed by SX and is NOT going), the St. Jude tie-in who cannot be beaten for being up-beat, the actually a good guy schmoe who won a contest - and one qualified (almost) former astronaut candidate with a professional degree - who's 51 and pretty much awesome. 

Bezos and Branson have got to be furious. (And should be trying to hire the PR genius behind this) 

This post nails it on all counts.

Even Isaacson is pretty likable, and seems like a regular guy—and giving away the other, expensive seats is obviously part of what makes him likable vs inviting his buddies, family, etc. The others as you say are all three compelling, but relatable people.

As for the PR aspect... yeah, it's like a punch in the face to BO and Virgin from a quality standpoint. But they both seem hamfisted about that generally.

BTW, as far as timing goes, it's important to note that while Inspiration 4's flight is obviously happening after Virgin and BO did their billionaire flights, it was announced before both of them.

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

49 minutes ago, tater said:

me going to a space hotel

My C-130 pilot friend certainly tells me that I'm not a pilot because I rode in and jumped out of his plane a few times.

And yet we both have wings. 

 

 

 

(Personally, I think mine are cooler -but he calls me a knuckledragger who doesn't know any better)

[tater]

1 hour ago, JoeSchmuckatelli said:

Lolz! 

Would look pretty snazzy on this, too

 

 

United Galaxy Sanitation Patrol patch, but no wings.

[kerbiloid]

Just a half-century passed since the first orbital launches, and the humankind returned to what is was beginning from, the launching of living beings as cargo.

Edited September 10, 2021 by kerbiloid

[Lewie]

2 hours ago, kerbiloid said:

  Reveal hidden contents

The Astronaut Fame Board.

 

Also let's remember the (boy/girl/whatever)scout uniform.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

That’s for the mothers of Cub scouts (the junior version of Boy Scouts) actually 

Oh, and I think Inspiration4 is great!! It’s not tacky like Bezo’s and Branson’s flights...they’re actually doing good stuff instead of a joyride. 

I’ve said this (in the Spacex thread) but it’s appropriate to repeat it here

I have a friend who is a childhood cancer survivor, and anther who lost her older brother to childhood cancer...this mission means a lot to both of them

Edited September 10, 2021 by Lewie

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

14 minutes ago, Lewie said:

I have a friend who is a childhood cancer survivor, and anther who lost her older brother to childhood cancer...this mission means a lot to both of them

Nice to hear you say that - I'm (somewhat) leery of the Inspiration 4 thing as being anything but a joyride... but have to admit that they've done a lot to allay those concerns.  Learning that the donation and publicity to St. Jude's is real and appreciated is significant.

Not that I'm particularly against joyrides: I actually support the idea of Space Tourism - especially if they can get the costs down.  (Cannot tell you how envious I am of Dr. Proctor as she and I are about the same age.)  Sadly, even if they do get costs down I'm likely 'overqualified' in terms of height.

Quote

 

To be a commander or pilot astronaut, you need to be 158 to 190cm tall, NASA says.

To be a mission specialist, however, there a little more leeway – “between 58.5 and 76 inches” which is 149 to 193cm.

 

The 7 requirements to be an astronaut | Space (sbs.com.au)

 

 

(I'm 3 inches too tall)

[mikegarrison]

5 hours ago, JoeSchmuckatelli said:

They will have orbited - I think the question comes down to whether they did any work, or were just tourists

Forget "astronaut wings". If you are given a millions-of-dollars spaceflight seat, is that income you have to pay taxes on?

If you win a lottery you pay taxes on the winnings. So if you win a lottery to fly to space, do you pay taxes on that?

It was decided in Canadian court that when the owner of Cirque du Soleil had his corporation pay for a trip to the ISS, this was a personal benefit to him and he needed to pay taxes on it.

[kerbiloid]

Before the flight. You know, just in case...

[Vanamonde]

@tater, you are now the second person I know of who has heard of that show, and that's counting me. Incidentally, I would advise against revisiting your fond memories of it. I found an episode online a while back and it was... not good. 

[mikegarrison]

7 minutes ago, Vanamonde said:

@tater, you are now the second person I know of who has heard of that show, and that's counting me. Incidentally, I would advise against revisiting your fond memories of it. I found an episode online a while back and it was... not good. 

Oh, he's not the only one. I recognized it immediately. Quark.

Edited September 10, 2021 by mikegarrison

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

Fun fact - I know where one of the Betty's lives.

[tater]

1 hour ago, mikegarrison said:

Forget "astronaut wings". If you are given a millions-of-dollars spaceflight seat, is that income you have to pay taxes on?

If you win a lottery you pay taxes on the winnings. So if you win a lottery to fly to space, do you pay taxes on that?

It was decided in Canadian court that when the owner of Cirque du Soleil had his corporation pay for a trip to the ISS, this was a personal benefit to him and he needed to pay taxes on it.

Interesting, and had not occurred to me. In the case of the lottery, you are given the money, and they presumably withhold the taxes (so some rando who is used to the 1040EZ doesn't have to realize they need a tax attorney too late)?

I suppose the tax implications could be arranged by the donor such that the recipient is not on the hook for a $53M Dragon seat.

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

21 minutes ago, tater said:

Interesting, and had not occurred to me. In the case of the lottery, you are given the money, and they presumably withhold the taxes (so some rando who is used to the 1040EZ doesn't have to realize they need a tax attorney too late)?

I suppose the tax implications could be arranged by the donor such that the recipient is not on the hook for a $53M Dragon seat.

These are terrible things to consider.  I know people who've won TVs and cars on game shows - and they sure as heck had to pay taxes on those.  

So...  the other thing to think about is that the very, very rich have other avenues they can explore with the IRS and categorize things however they see fit.  i.e. 'value' a seat on the trip as 'nothing', or characterize the winners as employees with no cash value.   Or assign them a value of the award and a cost to participate that is exactly equal to result in a no income finding.

 

I've had some tax law - but this is way beyond the scope of anything I know the answer to... and I assign @mikegarrison the title of "Today's Evil Jenius" (spelling intentional) for being evil enough to think about that.

[tater]

I would imagine Isaacson thought of that, and made sure that the tax implications were covered. If the IRS is going to tax the "income" of receiving a service, all that is needed is for Isaacson to donate the amount including taxes to the recipient, then they buy the service, and pay taxes on the monetary earnings.

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

20 minutes ago, tater said:

I would imagine Isaacson thought of that, and made sure that the tax implications were covered. If the IRS is going to tax the "income" of receiving a service, all that is needed is for Isaacson to donate the amount including taxes to the recipient, then they buy the service, and pay taxes on the monetary earnings.

Again - not a tax lawyer - but I don't think it works that way entirely.  What you write sounds simple, but I think there are more hoops (i.e. like making CEOs pay on income, rather than letting their compensation be 'income plus taxes' from the company they're running).  Lots of things have been tried - but I think you have to look at the recipient and find a way for it to be a wash.  Mind you, I am recalling this from one class a decade and a half ago.

[mikegarrison]

1 hour ago, tater said:

I would imagine Isaacson thought of that, and made sure that the tax implications were covered. If the IRS is going to tax the "income" of receiving a service, all that is needed is for Isaacson to donate the amount including taxes to the recipient, then they buy the service, and pay taxes on the monetary earnings.

Yeah, they could be covering the tax costs.

If I get a service award from my company, they give me the gift but they also pay a small amount to the IRS to cover the tax obligation I would otherwise have faced for getting that gift. It can be done this way.

But the other way is what failed for Guy Laliberté. He tried to claim that his trip to the ISS was a business trip, because he did some promo work for Cirque du Soliel as part of it. But the courts were not buying that. They ruled, among other things, that since there was no evidence they ever considered sending anyone other than him, or that they would have sent someone else if he couldn't go, that this was not a business trip. It was a pleasure trip on which he did a little bit of business. They ended up saying he was responsible for tax on 90% of the cost.