Aleta wrote:

Who cares about astronaut wings? Let's make a new designation, such as space man
or space flight participant or such. Let astronaut and cosmonaut stand for
government programs. Make a new word for the people who are paying their own
way, whether by building it themselves or buying a ride.


I concur. Let's brain storm:
(I admit that I prefer the PC incorrect "man" to
person etc, etc)

* Privateer (arrrr mate-y)
* RocketMan
* TopNaut
* Spaceman
* Spacenaut
* Person of Space (Politically Correct?)

Space Tourist kind of captures things nicely too.