Flare Sci-fi Forums
Flare Sci-Fi Forums Post New Topic  Post A Reply
my profile | directory login | search | faq | forum home

  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» Flare Sci-Fi Forums » Star Trek » General Trek » 'Astronaut' Speculation

   
Author Topic: 'Astronaut' Speculation
OnToMars
Now on to the making of films!
Member # 621

 - posted      Profile for OnToMars     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
The term astronaut is used to describe those lucky few who have traveled into space. Centuries ago, people who traveled on the seas were rare enough that they were given the special term 'mariner'. Today however, travelling on the seas is so common that the term is rarely used in the sense that it once was and that astronaut is used today.

My question is will spaceflight still be considered rare enough in the timeframe of Enterprise that 'astronaut' is still used?

--------------------
If God didn't want us to fly, he wouldn't have given us Bernoulli's Principle.


Registered: Jun 2001  |  IP: Logged
Timo
Moderator
Member # 245

 - posted      Profile for Timo     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
The last time we heard the term used was by Cochrane in 2063, wasn't it?

Dunno. Apparently, by the time of ENT, Starfleet will be an organization with a naval rank structure. If we're to suppose that the USN takes over the space exploration business, would they consider their people astronauts any more than they consider their crews mariners today?

Timo Saloniemi


Registered: Nov 1999  |  IP: Logged
Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343

 - posted      Profile for Shik     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
If that's so, I'd like to see some of the rituals for spacemariners then. Just as today's blue-water navies have their various "crossing the line" ceremonies (the Loyal Order of Bluenoses & the Shellbacks to name 2), so there should be something like that in Starfleet, either incarnation.

Perhaps "crossing the heliopause" both out of Sol System the first time and into a new system? Crossing the Sagitarrius Arm of the galaxy? Better yet, crossing the Alpha/Beta border & traversing the wormhole into Gamma for the first times.

--------------------
"The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"


Registered: Jun 2000  |  IP: Logged
Treknophyle
Senior Member
Member # 509

 - posted      Profile for Treknophyle     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
First time crossing warp threshold

--------------------
'One man's theology is another man's belly laugh.' - Lazarus Long

Registered: Feb 2001  |  IP: Logged
Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343

 - posted      Profile for Shik     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
No, that's like the first time driving 60 MPH. The ceremony is a point of demarcation--the equator for shellbacks, the Arctic Circle for bluenoses. So...a nice fixed point would be a better analogy.

--------------------
"The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"

Registered: Jun 2000  |  IP: Logged
   

Quick Reply
Message:

HTML is enabled.
UBB Code™ is enabled.

Instant Graemlins
   


Post New Topic  Post A Reply Close Topic   Feature Topic   Move Topic   Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
 - Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:


© 1999-2024 Charles Capps

Powered by UBB.classic™ 6.7.3