FAA: No more commercial astronaut wings, too many launching

By MARCIA DUNN
AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration says it will no longer give out commercial astronaut wings starting next year because too many people are launching into space. The FAA announced the news Friday, one day before Blue Origin’s planned liftoff from West Texas with former football great Michael Strahan. He’ll still make the cut since the FAA isn’t clipping its commercial astronaut wings until Jan. 1. NASA astronauts also have nothing to worry about going forward _ they’ll still get their pins.  All 15 people who rocketed into space so far this year on private U.S. flights will receive their wings from the FAA.