[bpodgursky]

People here are taking my comment a bit too seriously. I'm not mad, it's fine.

I do think it's a fun assignment with a lot of perks and minimal responsibility in the heat of the moment. They aren't going to micromanage SpaceX into an abort, they don't have enough immediate context to do that. They're there for a vibe-check and the afterparty. The real work is in the retro if the rocket explodes.

[danpalmer]

I think you're missing the point of why they are there. To continue the above sports reference – you could say the referee has nothing on the line as they can't win or lose the game, and they just get to sit there and enjoy the show, and enjoy the afterparty.

This is obviously incorrect. If something goes wrong, the FAA rep will be there to ensure the correct procedures are followed, to assess whether the SpaceX team met their licence obligations in how they handle mishaps, and to provide oversight in general. On the happy path, sure, they might not be doing a lot more than a "vibe check", but on the unhappy path they may be the difference between SpaceX getting a launch licence for Starship again in months or years.

[bpodgursky]

> the correct procedures are followed, to assess whether the SpaceX team met their licence obligations in how they handle mishaps, and to provide oversight in general

The FAA rep is not going to do any of those things during launch proceedings. The umpire makes calls on the spot. This rep is just watching. They'll do all assessment during post-launch retros.

[danpalmer]

> They'll do all assessment during post-launch retros.

...based on their detailed observations of what happened in the room.

[computerdork]

agree, can tell you meant the price of the seats are super high because it is such a big deal (while contrasted with the guy who's getting paid to watch).