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August 26, 2019 - Comic Name Game

Comic Name Game  The STS-128 mission, launched ten years ago this week, carried a small piece of ISS hardware that made big headlines on Earth. In response to NASA’s online naming contest for the Node 3 module already attached to the ISS, comedian Stephen Colbert convinced viewers of his TV show to vote to name it “Colbert,” and it won by a large margin. NASA opted for the name “Tranquility,” but as a concession, it named a new exercise treadmill delivered by the STS-128 crew COLBERT, for “Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill.” In a further show of humor, NASA offered to name the ISS urine processor STEWART, for “Space Toilet Environmental Waste Accumulator/Recycling Thingy,” in honor of fellow comedian Jon Stewart, but Stewart declined.

Image credit: NASA

Weekly Calendar

August 26 - September 1, 2019

Holidays - Sky Events - Space History

 

Moon phase Monday 26

Moon phase Tuesday 27

1962: Mariner 2 launched
1984: Teacher In Space program announced
1985: STS-51I Discovery launched

Moon phase Wednesday 28

1789: William Herschel discovers Enceladus, moon of Saturn
1993: Galileo spacecraft flies by asteroid Ida
2009: STS-128 Discovery launched

Moon phase Thursday 29

Moon phase Friday 30

New Moon 6:37 AM ET
Moon at perigee

1963: Lunar Orbiter program approved by NASA
1983: STS-8 Challenger launched; first night shuttle launch
1984: STS-41D Discovery launched

Moon phase Saturday 31

Moon phase Sunday 1

1964: First Titan IIIA launched
1979: Pioneer 11 becomes first spacecraft to fly past Saturn

Suggestions for new history dates or better links? Corrections for errors on this page? Please e-mail me.