Author Topic: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE  (Read 19438 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« on: 12/31/2010 04:19 am »
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12093630

Great news! Awarded the OBE in the New Year Honours List for his services to science. Now he gets to meet the Queen :)

Piers Sellers, Order of the British Empire. Now let's take the next step and get him Knighted.
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Offline Downix

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #1 on: 12/31/2010 05:20 am »
Hear Hear!
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Offline Space Pete

Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #2 on: 12/31/2010 11:58 am »
Woo-Hoo, Go Piers!

Why stop at Knighthood? I'm thinking that "Lord Sellers" sounds much better than "Sir Piers"! ;D
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Offline jacqmans

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #3 on: 12/31/2010 12:10 pm »
Is this the first Royal award he receives ?  And do more Britisch born astronauts have Royal awards ?

I know Andre Kuipers got a Royal award when he returnd home from Space, Wubbo Ockels did not get one after his space mission, not sure if he received it later on....
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Offline DavisSTS

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #4 on: 12/31/2010 01:37 pm »
Great news. Having Empire in your title as an astronaut has a nice ring to it :)


Offline simonbp

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #5 on: 12/31/2010 03:21 pm »
Quote from: US Constitution, Article 9, Section 10
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.

So, legally, either he needs an act of Congress in order to accept, or to retire from NASA. I'm guessing the later...

Offline mike robel

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #6 on: 12/31/2010 03:27 pm »
My usual use of the acronym "OBE" is overcome by events, so I could not initially imagine what this story was about.

Offline NavySpaceFan

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #7 on: 12/31/2010 03:40 pm »
Quote from: US Constitution, Article 9, Section 10
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.

So, legally, either he needs an act of Congress in order to accept, or to retire from NASA. I'm guessing the later...

He can accept on an honorary basis, as Cap Weinberger did with his KGBE he received for his support of the UK during the Falklands War.
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #8 on: 12/31/2010 03:56 pm »
Quote from: US Constitution, Article 9, Section 10
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.

So, legally, either he needs an act of Congress in order to accept, or to retire from NASA. I'm guessing the later...

He can accept on an honorary basis, as Cap Weinberger did with his KGBE he received for his support of the UK during the Falklands War.

Yep.

"Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in 1988, awarded in recognition for an "outstanding and invaluable" contribution to military cooperation between the UK and the US, particularly during the Falklands War of 1982."

Just means he can't use the official title of "Sir". And there's a few former Presidents who were awarded honourary Knighthoods by the Queen, including Reagan.

Highest one I can see on the list is:

"Wesley Clark, U.S. General and NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe made Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire March 28, 2000."

Interesting, as you'd think being British born would get around some of the rules.
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Offline Tim S

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #9 on: 12/31/2010 04:01 pm »
So you can actually become a real Knight? They still exist from medieval times?

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #10 on: 12/31/2010 04:11 pm »
So you can actually become a real Knight? They still exist from medieval times?

Yes, but unlike the 1100s, you don't get a nice horse and go to war (it was only for military at that time anyway, and we were always at war with someone, mainly the French ;)). Modern day Knighthoods have no military obligations to the Sovereign.

You still get "dubbed" by the Monach with the sword placed on both shoulders. Though the honourary Knights won't have that, so maybe Piers won't get to meet the Queen after all! :(
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Offline David AF

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #11 on: 12/31/2010 04:23 pm »
Quote from: US Constitution, Article 9, Section 10
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.

So, legally, either he needs an act of Congress in order to accept, or to retire from NASA. I'm guessing the later...

Why does that rule exist? Maybe 51D could arrange an act of congress ;)
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Offline simonbp

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #12 on: 12/31/2010 04:49 pm »
Interesting, as you'd think being British born would get around some of the rules.

I don't think it would be an issue, if he's not in the employ of the US Government. Considering Sellers has been the Astronaut Corps for 15 years, and with the retirement of shuttle, it's about time for him to retire anyways...

Offline sbt

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #13 on: 12/31/2010 05:38 pm »
You still get "dubbed" by the Monach with the sword placed on both shoulders. Though the honourary Knights won't have that, so maybe Piers won't get to meet the Queen after all! :(

'Officer of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire' is not (as I think you aknoledge in your first post) one of the classes of the OBE (confusingly the whole order is abreviated 'OBE' and 'OFFicer of the OBE' also abreviated 'OBE') that has a Kinghthood attached.

However they are handed out at Investitures at the Palace - but Her Majesty, IIRC, is not necessarily the one presiding for the award of the lesser honours.

For US readers infomation the Classes of the OBE are, in decreasing 'rank':

Knight (or Dame) Grand Cross (GBE)
Knight (or Dame) Commander (KBE/DBE)
Commander (CBE)
Officer (OBE)
Member (MBE)

There is also the 'British Empire Medal' which used to be awarded instead of an MBE to those below Officer/Managment Rank or Grade - since 1992 (when Officer/Other Ranks distinctions in Gallantry medals were removed and various other things similarly modernised) the MBE is awarded. Recipients are not part of the Order however, simply 'Affiliated' with it.

Only the first two come with a Knighthood.

So Weiburger's award was higher than Clark's

There are all sorts of other 'Orders' and awards in the 'Honours System', amoungst which there is an 'Order of Presidence' and the various awards are also segregated by purpose. The OBE is the lowest order in the Order of Presidence.
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Offline Space Pete

Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #14 on: 12/31/2010 05:40 pm »
Interesting, as you'd think being British born would get around some of the rules.

I don't think it would be an issue, if he's not in the employ of the US Government. Considering Sellers has been the Astronaut Corps for 15 years, and with the retirement of shuttle, it's about time for him to retire anyways...

He's retiring from the Astronaut Corps, but not NASA. He is moving to GSFC in the New Year to head up its Climate Change Program.
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Offline sbt

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #15 on: 12/31/2010 05:45 pm »
Interesting, as you'd think being British born would get around some of the rules.

I don't think it would be an issue, if he's not in the employ of the US Government. Considering Sellers has been the Astronaut Corps for 15 years, and with the retirement of shuttle, it's about time for him to retire anyways...

Its interesting its only an Honorary award. IIRC Piers has Dual
Nationality which allows a Substantive award to be made. Presumably the
constitutional prohibition allows Honorary awards to be accepted by
those working for the US Government.

Its entirely possible that his award will be made Substantive in the
future when he retires from US Government employment
 - this years New Year Honours include several cases where
Honorary awards to Commonwealth nationals have been made substantive,
no details are given but I assume that the people concerned either
became UK nationals or retired from posts which prohibited accepting
Substantive awards.
« Last Edit: 12/31/2010 05:46 pm by sbt »
I am not interested in your political point scoring, Ad Hominem attacks, personal obsessions and vendettas. - No matter how cute and clever you may think your comments are.

Offline Antares

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #16 on: 01/03/2011 06:26 am »
Quote from: US Constitution, Article 9, Section 10
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.
So, legally, either he needs an act of Congress in order to accept, or to retire from NASA. I'm guessing the later...
Why does that rule exist? Maybe 51D could arrange an act of congress ;)

Just for the record: IT WOULD REQUIRE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NOT AN ACT OF CONGRESS!  Oy vey, learn your Civics.
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Offline Space Pete

Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #17 on: 01/17/2016 08:09 pm »
At a time of such euphoria surrounding UK human spaceflight, it is with great sadness that I post this:

UK-born astronaut Piers Sellers has announced that he's been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. :(

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/17/opinion/sunday/cancer-and-climate-change.html
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Offline ZachS09

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #18 on: 01/17/2016 08:41 pm »
I sure do hope Sellers wins this cancer battle. :(
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Offline Star One

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Re: Astronaut Piers Sellers, OBE
« Reply #19 on: 01/17/2016 08:51 pm »
Just seen this sad news.:(

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