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The Astronaut Badge is a badge of the United States, awarded to military and civilian pilots who have completed training and performed a successful spaceflight. A variation of the astronaut badge is also issued to civilians who are employed with NASA as specialists on spaceflight missions. more...

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Eligibility

A military Astronaut must complete all required training to receive the badge, as well as participate in a spaceflight more than 50 miles above the Earth. The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale defines spaceflight as over 100 km (62 miles). This definition is followed by all countries except the U.S., which maintains the space boundary at 50 miles or 80 km.

Eight pilots from the U.S. Air Force and NASA have qualified for the Astronaut Badge by flying an (rocket-propelled) aircraft into space. All eight flew as part of the X-15 program. Two pilots have entered space in the Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne vehicle, flying a suborbital trajectory. All other persons have been awarded the Astronaut Badge by traveling into space on rocket boosters, rather than in aerodynamic flight.

Military badges

Each of the military services issues its own version of the Astronaut Badge, which consists of a standard Aviation Badge with an Astronaut Device (shooting star through a halo) centered on the badge's shield, or escutcheon. The United States Army and Air Force Astronaut Badges are issued in three degrees: Basic, Senior, and Master/Command. The Senior Astronaut Badge is denoted by a star centered above the decoration, while the Master/Command level is indicated by a star and wreath.

United States Army

The Astronaut Badge issued by the U.S. Army is awarded in three levels: Basic, Senior, and Master. An Army astronaut may also receive a variation of the badge if training was completed but the astronaut never participated in a space mission. In such cases, the Army issues the Army Aviation Badge with Astronaut Device.

United States Air Force

The U.S. Air Force issues its astronaut badge in three degrees: Basic, Senior, and Command. The Air Force Astronaut Badge consists of a standard USAF Pilot Badge, upon which is centered the Astronaut Device. The Air Force does not consider Astronaut to be a separate rating from its five established "rated" badges, but as a "qualifier" to them, and may only be awarded by the Air Force Chief of Staff after written application upon completion of an operational space mission. The rating of Observer is used for Mission Specialists who have completed training but not a mission.

United States Navy

The Naval Astronaut Badge is issued in a single degree by the U.S. Navy and consists of a Naval Aviator Badge with a centered astronaut emblem. The Navy also bestows the Naval Flight Officer Astronaut Badge for Naval Flight Officers who are qualified astronauts and serve in support roles on space missions.

Read more at Wikipedia.org