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
Monday 26
Tuesday 27
1962: Mariner 2 launched
1984: Teacher In Space program announced
1985: STS-51I Discovery launched
Wednesday 28
1789: William Herschel discovers Enceladus, moon of Saturn
1993: Galileo spacecraft flies by asteroid Ida
2009: STS-128 Discovery launched
Thursday 29
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
Saturday 31
Sunday 1
1964: First Titan IIIA launched
1979: Pioneer 11 becomes first spacecraft to fly past Saturn