NASA In Colbert Conundrum Over Space Station

[Juanelm]

http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/04/01/0041200&from=rss

"At first NASA floated the idea of naming the new module's toilet "Colbert."" :rofl:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29863574/

 

[Urwumpe]

http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/04/01/0041200&from=rss

"At first NASA floated the idea of naming the new module's toilet "Colbert."" :rofl:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29863574/

Old information...

 

[SiberianTiger]

That will teach them not to allow voting from the same IP more than once next time they declare a public poll. Or pick names themselves.

 

[Urwumpe]

That will teach them not to allow voting from the same IP more than once next time they declare a public poll. Or pick names themselves.

Better: Make people vote per snail mail and don't publish any results before the poll is over.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Node 3 naming contest results:

#1 Colbert - 230,000 votes

#2 Serenity - 188,000 votes (approx)

#3 Myyearbook - 147,637 votes

#4 Gaia - 114,427 votes

What is the world coming to...who the hell thought of "Myyearbook"????? Is this a space module????? The worst thing is that people actually voted for it - 147,637 times!!!

 

[Donamy]

What is the world coming to...who the hell thought of "Myyearbook"????? Is this a space module????? The worst thing is that people actually voted for it - 147,637 times!!!

Or at least one did many times, kinda like our last election.

 

[Omhra]

I wonder if Colbert will invite Joss Whedon to his show...

 

[Eagle]

Imagine the awesome publicity that NASA is getting by making a big deal of this. More publicity if they simply accepted or rejected Colbert immediately.

Potentially (whatever the outcome) they could get an ISS segment on the Colbert Report for continuing public interest.

 

[Andy44]

Naming modules is stupid to begin with.

 

[Urwumpe]

Naming modules is stupid to begin with.

Well, if you don't do it, astronauts will.

 

[Andy44]

They named the ISS, and astronauts renamed it Alpha anyway. Who's to say that whatever this module gets named, they won't just start calling it Colbert?

 

[Messierhunter]

Naming modules is stupid to begin with.

The names should be utilitarian imho, descriptive of their actual function. Power and propulsion, US life sciences lab, Japanese Lab, etc. That way when the public hears that a module is being launched they know exactly what it's for. Instead, they hear some ambiguous nice-sounding name, have no idea what it's for, and tune out with the impression that we're wasting money just to add volume to a station without any value.

 

[Urwumpe]

They named the ISS, and astronauts renamed it Alpha anyway. Who's to say that whatever this module gets named, they won't just start calling it Colbert?

Nobody. But you could also expect that one astronaut has already placed a Colbert Show sticker on the ISS toilet.

 

[Andy44]

The names should be utilitarian imho, descriptive of their actual function. Power and propulsion, US life sciences lab, Japanese Lab, etc. That way when the public hears that a module is being launched they know exactly what it's for. Instead, they hear some ambiguous nice-sounding name, have no idea what it's for, and tune out with the impression that we're wasting money just to add volume to a station without any value.

I agree. Worse, the names are dorky hippie sounding: Harmony, Destiny, Unity, puh-leeese. Makes me gack. Why don't they just hang beaded curtains in the hatchways, issue tie-dye spacesuits, and paint peace symbols and pot leaves all over the outside like a VW microbus. :lol:

 

[Pilot7893]

Colbert won fair and square. And I have to say, NASA ignoring it and just picking their own name doesn't sound very Democratic.

 

[Pquardzvaark]

I don't know but I'd kind've prefer NASA ignore the Colbert vote. I really don't want to see all those tools have any real power in anything, much less something as superficial as the name of a space station module.

 

[Arrowstar]

They named the ISS, and astronauts renamed it Alpha anyway. Who's to say that whatever this module gets named, they won't just start calling it Colbert?

I was always wondering where the Project Alpha name from Orbiter came from. What does it signify?

 

[Andy44]

I think it is a reference to the original idea for a new space station in the late 80s early 90s, before it became "international". But I'm not sure where that program got the name Alpha. A sci fi reference, maybe?

 

[PhantomCruiser]

...wondering where the Project Alpha name from Orbiter came from...

If I remember right I think it was another 'contest' from NASA and a little girl suggested the name. This was long before construction even began, mid 90's I think...

 

[n122vu]

I agree. Worse, the names are dorky hippie sounding: Harmony, Destiny, Unity, puh-leeese. Makes me gack. Why don't they just hang beaded curtains in the hatchways, issue tie-dye spacesuits, and paint peace symbols and pot leaves all over the outside like a VW microbus. :lol:

Astronaut1: Is that Freedom Rock man?
Astronaut2: Yeah man.
Astronaut1: Well turn it up man!!!!

While we're at it, let's make the sixth member of the ISS crew a sherpa!