25 replies to this topic

[GS1]

I remember reading that somewhere in the mid 2000's
anyone know if it is still true?

[Diablobb81]

As of January 3, 2013, a total of 530 people from 38 countries are known to have gone into space according to the FAI guideline (537 people have qualified when including the US Department of Defense classification). Of the 530, three people completed only a sub-orbital flight, 527 people reached Earth orbit, 24 traveled beyond low Earth orbit and 12 walked on the Moon.


As of the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix, out of the 740 drivers who started a Grand Prix,[8] there have been 104 different Formula One Grand Prix winners.

Thanks wiki.

Edited by Diablobb81, 05 April 2013 - 09:26.

[Ross Stonefeld]

In some ways it's more surprising the total amount of people in a Formula 1 Grand Prix isn't *that* much higher than the amount in space.

[PorcupineTroy]

In some ways it's more surprising the total amount of people in a Formula 1 Grand Prix isn't *that* much higher than the amount in space.

Really puts one's chances of making it to F1 into perspective.

[wepmob2000]

Really puts one's chances of making it to F1 into perspective.

Especially when considering the figure for F1 drivers is skewed by the large number of privateers there used to be. It would be interesting to see how many people have entered F1 through winning a seat with a team (I would hazard a guess this figure would be smaller than those who have flown in space....).

Edited by wepmob2000, 05 April 2013 - 16:29.

[kenkip]

Wow!Thats preety amazing!
i read somewhere that F1 calibre engineers have two options when they graduate,work in NASA or work in formula one!
Can you imagine that?A letter from NASA or a letter from Redbull,Ferrari (or even Maurissa FFS) sitting on your desk? I know what i would choose!

[Nahnever]

Wow!Thats preety amazing!
i read somewhere that F1 calibre engineers have two options when they graduate,work in NASA or work in formula one!
Can you imagine that?A letter from NASA or a letter from Redbull,Ferrari (or even Maurissa FFS) sitting on your desk? I know what i would choose!

I'm pretty sure a job in aerospace would be just as attractive, and financially rewarding.

[Bloggsworth]

It was never true, plenty have been into near space, none yet to outer space.

[Sausage]

Well it's all pretty relative right? I mean there are only 15 air guitar world champions and James Cameron went deeper than anyone ever.

[PayasYouRace]

What was the cross-over point? Which astronaut was the one that overtook the F1 winners?

[Dolph]

Really puts one's chances of making it to F1 into perspective.

Wow, yeah. Soon you are more likely to go to space than race in F1.

[halifaxf1fan]

What was the cross-over point? Which astronaut was the one that overtook the F1 winners?

I think it was Tom Hanks.

[Race2win]

I guess once space tourism takes off that number will steadily increase.

[schuey100]

I guess once space tourism takes off that number will steadily increase.

Much like the F1 'tourism' we've seen grow over the past few years, if Daddy has the money one wouldn't find it too difficult to find a drive...;)

[ensign14]

What was the cross-over point? Which astronaut was the one that overtook the F1 winners?

It happened with Soyuz 7. Soyuz 6 had drawn space level at 41-41, and on 5 October 1969, Jochen Rindt became the 42nd (!) World Championship race winner to put GP racing ahead for the last time. As a week later Anatoly Filipchenko, Vladislav Volkov and Viktor Gorbatko became the 42nd to 44th people in space. By the time we had the 43rd winner Apollo 13 had been up and down. Poor Volkov was one of the three asphyxiated on Soyuz 11.

In terms of those who walked in space, Peter Wisoff became the 80th about two months before Damon Hill became the 80th World Championship race winner. There had been four walkers since Schumacher became WC winner no. 79.

[Dolph]

I guess once space tourism takes off that number will steadily increase.

I think space tourist shouldn't be compared to F1 drivers. Maybe to guys who have gotten a ride in an F1 two-seater?

[PayasYouRace]

It happened with Soyuz 7. Soyuz 6 had drawn space level at 41-41, and on 5 October 1969, Jochen Rindt became the 42nd (!) World Championship race winner to put GP racing ahead for the last time. As a week later Anatoly Filipchenko, Vladislav Volkov and Viktor Gorbatko became the 42nd to 44th people in space. By the time we had the 43rd winner Apollo 13 had been up and down. Poor Volkov was one of the three asphyxiated on Soyuz 11.

In terms of those who walked in space, Peter Wisoff became the 80th about two months before Damon Hill became the 80th World Championship race winner. There had been four walkers since Schumacher became WC winner no. 79.

Super reply!

[discover23]

How about comparing it to those climbers in Nepal. How many people have actually died trying to climb the highest mountains and very few have succeeded.

[Race2win]

I think space tourist shouldn't be compared to F1 drivers. Maybe to guys who have gotten a ride in an F1 two-seater?

Sorry.... Yeah I agree with you

[Myrvold]

I think space tourist shouldn't be compared to F1 drivers. Maybe to guys who have gotten a ride in an F1 two-seater?

More compared to people buying a "F1" experience, with 5-6 laps in a F1 car.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Id say space tourism equates to ride buying, in this context.

[Nonesuch]

The number of so-called astronauts saw a marked growth with the onset of science experiments on the ISS. As of now, over 200 non-crew individuals have been to the ISS. In my opinion that's getting close to falling outside the old-school 'Yuri Gagarin & Buzz Aldrin'-definition of an astronaut for the same reason that not everyone on a ship is a mariner. But in any case, it's an interesting 'fun-fact' comparison.

Edited by Nonesuch, 05 April 2013 - 23:47.

[CSquared]

It was never true, plenty have been into near space, none yet to outer space.

Whose definitions are you referencing here? The "official" definition says outer space starts at 62 miles above sea level.

[Zeroninety]

Also, in F1, a driver can spend years in one seat: Schumi spent 11 years at Ferrari, after all. That'd be like, say, Neil Armstrong commanding *all* the Apollo missions, instead of just Apollo 11.

(Indeed, early on, some at NASA assumed the Mercury 7 astronauts would be enough to achieve all of their objectives: "Hey, if we have four moon landing missions, then each guy gets to walk on the moon, and one of them gets to do it twice!" It soon became clear seven wasn't going to be nearly enough).

[Bloggsworth]

Whose definitions are you referencing here? The "official" definition says outer space starts at 62 miles above sea level.

When I was nobbut a lad, it was regarded as outside our solar system - Guess it changed for marketing purposes.

[Rob]

Space is generally accepted to start at the Karman line, approximately 100km above the surface of the Earth. Above this altitude, the air is so thin that any aircraft would have to travel faster than orbital velocity in order to generate enough lift to support itself.