Colbert: Finally Wins An Election
Yes, it's official: The space station is about to be named...
"The Stephen Colbert Report..."
Or, let me rephrase, one little component - or "node," in NASA-speak - will be named after him. I guess they'll just call it "The Colbert Room."
Whatever. VICTORY!
This is exciting. Colbert was going to be a congressman from South Carolina, and couldn't get past the silly regulations. Then, he asked viewers to vote his name into the NASA-Let's-Name-the-Space-Station! Contest. He won easily, then NASA started to "hem," and then they started to "haw."
Maybe, they said to themselves, we should overturn the Democratic process and name it what we REALLY want to name it: "The Spock Module."
But apparently the president intervened and told 'em to go with "Colbert." (I'm kidding...the president didn't intervene. But he could have....)
Here's the top of the recent press release:
NASA TO ANNOUNCE NEW SPACE STATION MODULE NAME APRIL 14th on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report." The program will air at 11:30 p.m. EDT.
Full and surprising funky NASA press release on jump...
hank you to everyone who contributed in helping decide a name for Node 3.
Space shuttle Endeavour will deliver the Node 3 components during the STS-130 mission targeted for December 2009. Once the cupola is attached to one of the module’s six ports, it will offer astronauts a spectacular view of both their home planet and their home in space. The cupola’s six rectangular windows and one circular window overhead will show a panoramic view that will be unrivaled by any other spacecraft ever flown. Aside from providing a perfect location to observe and photograph the Earth, the cupola also will contain a robotics workstation, where astronauts will be able to control the station’s giant robotic arm.
Node 3 will connect to the port side of the Unity Node and will provide room for many of the station’s life support systems, in the form of eight refrigerator-sized racks. After Node 3 is installed, the station’s crew will transfer over many of the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) currently stored in various places around the station, including:
* Oxygen Generation System (OGS), which takes the station’s water and splits it apart into hydrogen, which gets vented into space, and oxygen, which is returned into the cabin for the crew to breathe.
* Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS), which controls the station’s carbon dioxide levels and maintains the temperature and atmospheric pressure at comfortable levels.
* Water Recovery System (WRS) and Urine Processor Assembly (UPA), which take waste water from the station’s shower and toilets and purifies it, separating any contaminants and making it safe for the crew to drink.
* Waste and hygiene compartment, which provides a place for the crew to shower and use the bathroom in a way that allows the station to process the majority of the water used onboard so that it may be used again, greatly lessening the need for resupply flights from Earth.
NASA and its station partners traditionally have named each habitable part of the station, including its three laboratories (the U.S lab- Destiny, the European lab- Columbus, and the Japanese lab- Kibo or Hope), two airlocks (Quest and Pirs or Pier), and two Russian-built modules (Zvezda or Star, and Zarya or Dawn).
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Comments (5)
This is how a vote should function,
you ask the poeple, the people respond, and you repect
the the wishes of the majority what a concept.
To all those who belive this is a bad choice:
Colbert did use the system but anyone could have,
It draws attention to great scientific endevour.
Its fair to those who were interested enough to vote at all
The name is not offensive in any laguage.
Colbert \c(o)-lbe-rt, col-bert\ is of Old French and Old German origin,
and its meaning is "renowned, bright, famous".
Introduced to Britain by the Normans.
Colbert reowened the bright and now famous module...
If "Colbert" won fair and square, so be it. NASA wins, showing how far grace, honor, and a sense of humor goes towards strengthening our love for the people who brought us Apollo, Viking, Pathfinder/Sojourner, Voyager, The Shuttle, Spirit, Opportunity, Hubble and every other Great Adventure. The People have invested their time, taxes and spirit in every leap into space - let us all have a little fun for awhile. We appeal to NASA's sense of fair play.
And, in the long tradition of the US Government, we can rename the module in a few years, probably after some heavyweight politician...
I bookmarked this site, Thank you for good job!
VIgdvA comment4 ,
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