AstronautFame

Fame in this field can be stratospheric, astronomical and meteoric, and this is not hyperbole. Neil Armstrong, the first human to walk the moon. John Glenn, first American to orbit the Earth. Astronauts were iconic heroes in the race to space against the Soviet Union (back in the day, of course, when Russia was the Soviet Union/Evil Empire/Threat to Life, Liberty and the American Way).

But wait.

That was then (1960s), and this is now, the 21st century. The space shuttle is no more, and there's no guarantee that an astronaut will even get into orbit. So worldwide or even national fame may not be in the cards. But local fame? Surely.