Why did NASA even bother to have a contest... [Archive]

rwguinn

15th April 2009, 08:33 AM

... if they were going to completely disregard the results? "Tranquility?!" Come on. How is that any better than "Serenity?"
the Sea of Tranquility was the site of the first manned landing on the Moon.

But what did you think of the
"Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill?"

Pardalis

15th April 2009, 08:35 AM

Anything that puts positive attention on NASA is a good thing.

Lisa Simpson

15th April 2009, 08:41 AM

the Sea of Tranquility was the site of the first manned landing on the Moon.

But Tranquility was not the winning name, even discounting the write-in votes.

Buckaroo

15th April 2009, 08:41 AM

the Sea of Tranquility was the site of the first manned landing on the Moon.

But what did you think of the
"Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill?"

Yeah, but that means that Tranquility has been done, already. "Tranquility Base" and all that. It's hard for me to see, too, what the node has to do with lunar exploration, while I have it on good authority that copies of the Firefly DVD set have actually been watched on board the ISS.

Colbert got his (hey, at least it wasn't the urine recycling machine), so why not us Browncoats? Serenity would've been a fine double entendre, and would've made everyone happy.

GreNME

15th April 2009, 08:41 AM

the Sea of Tranquility was the site of the first manned landing on the Moon.

But what did you think of the
"Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill?"

I thought that was a novel way for them to save face. It's also pretty good press for them, considering Colbert's response to it (elation) on his show.

Good for NASA, I say.

Buckaroo

15th April 2009, 08:43 AM

But Tranquility was not the winning name, even discounting the write-in votes.

Exactly. They completely disregarded the contest that they themselves set up. It wasn't like "Serenity" was meant to be a joke.

Monketey Ghost

15th April 2009, 08:45 AM

Anything that gives NASA a smile-borne spotlight. As much as I like Colbert it would've been silly to name a large section of the Magnifico Station after him; there are many deserving scientists from many fields who would have been better choices, even if they have things named after them already.

rwguinn

15th April 2009, 08:54 AM

Exactly. They completely disregarded the contest that they themselves set up. It wasn't like "Serenity" was meant to be a joke.
Yes, they followed the rules: (http://blogs.discovery.com/news_space/2009/03/international-space-thingamajig.html)

NASA will take suggestions (http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/name_ISS/index.html)until March 20. I hope this won't be a spoiler for you, but democracy isn't going cut it in this election.

NASA states it "reserves the right to ultimately select a name in accordance with the best interests of the agency, its needs and other considerations. Such name may not necessarily be one which is on the list of voted-on candidate names."
What the hell is your beef?

shadron

15th April 2009, 09:06 AM

Because it is politically expedient. You expected some other answer, maybe?

NASA did the contest to get some public participation going - a litle bit of excitement, as it were. They expected an answer like the public wave to name the Enterprise. They did get their excitement, but it would come at a price if they used Colbert, and, career bureaucrats that they are, they just couldn't see the joke all the way through. They hedged their bets in the rules.

And Colbert got what he wanted, too. At least it wasn't the head they'd named after him.

Denver

15th April 2009, 09:55 AM

...
And Colbert got what he wanted, too. At least it wasn't the head they'd named after him.

Communal Operational "Load" Bearing Excremental Removal Technology?

I smell a new contest...

Donal

15th April 2009, 10:12 AM

Buckaroo

15th April 2009, 10:31 AM

What the hell is your beef?

Flyin' S. Monster, calm down. I'm just having some fun. NASA was asking for this kind of reaction by making the naming a PR stunt.

Monketey Ghost

15th April 2009, 10:37 AM

It was a nice way for them to generate publicity... and it did spark the public's imagination, much the same way that un-planeting Pluto did. People who normally don't give a rat's runny crap about science were distraught over that, recall.

If more people care about NASA, NASA will have a farm-team of folks who grow up wanting to work for the industry and its associated fields.

Paraphrasing someone here (I forget)... space will be conquered by someone, and it doesn't take "good-old American know-how" to do it. Whether they speak Portugeuse or Chinese, space will be conquered. We need kids interested in science NOW!

rwguinn

15th April 2009, 10:53 AM

Actually, NASA learned from the mistakes of others and put in rules to make sure a group of 4channers didn't get to name it "Hentai Tentacle Pr0n"
Yeah-
Why open youself up to ridicule by allowing the same phenomenon that kept folks like Cloris Leachman, or that stiff-legged dude from "Jackass" on DWTS in spite of an obvious lack of ability--or worse, some of the Ameican Idol (or whatever it is) "talents" to keep piercing eardrums...:D

tyr_13

15th April 2009, 11:17 AM

At least it wasn't Xenu or L. Ron.

TX50

15th April 2009, 12:03 PM

When I hear "Colbert" I immediately think of Louis XIV's finance minister.
He who was responsible for the magnificent 17th century French navy.
I also do not think of the Lone Ranger whenever I hear the "Wiliam Tell
Overture". I'm a real interlektull me. :boggled:

"Tranquility" is a nice name. "Serenity" sounds more like the latest noisome
miasma by Estee Lauder.

ponderingturtle

15th April 2009, 01:26 PM

Colbert got his (hey, at least it wasn't the urine recycling machine), so why not us Browncoats?

And they gave the trekkies theirs with the Enterprise.

Checkmite

15th April 2009, 02:30 PM

And they gave the trekkies theirs with the Enterprise.

Well, but the Enterprise never went into space. It may as well have been the name for their new semi truck or something... :biggrin:

Dorian Gray

15th April 2009, 04:23 PM

But Virgin Galactic has the Virgin Space Ship Enterprise and the Virgin Space Ship Voyager. So, win.

Checkmite

15th April 2009, 06:22 PM

That's because Virgin Galactic is operated by Virgin Nerds.

Corsair 115

15th April 2009, 11:14 PM

But what did you think of the
"Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill?"

I wonder how long it took for someone to come up with it.

It wasn't like "Serenity" was meant to be a joke.

Arguably, naming it after a so-so movie based on a failed television series is something of a joke. It's certainly no less trivial than naming it after a television comedy show host.

Gangularis

15th April 2009, 11:25 PM

That's because Virgin Galactic is operated by Virgin Nerds.

:dl:

Ooohh.. Such a set up you had for that one!!

arthwollipot

15th April 2009, 11:59 PM

Arguably, naming it after a so-so movie based on a failed television series is something of a joke. It's certainly no less trivial than naming it after a television comedy show host.Actually, NASA wanted to make sure that they hadn't named it after any science-fiction spaceships. It took Joss Whedon sending an email to one of his contacts at NASA to get them to realise that there was already a science-fiction ship named Serenity. That's why they changed it to Tranquility.

Or so my source tells me.

ponderingturtle

16th April 2009, 03:29 AM

tyr_13

16th April 2009, 06:56 AM

Buckaroo

16th April 2009, 07:07 AM

arguably, naming it after a so-so movie based on a failed television series is something of a joke. It's certainly no less trivial than naming it after a television comedy show host.

HEY!!!! :D Them's fightin' words!

Monketey Ghost

16th April 2009, 07:12 AM

And naming the first shuttle after a failed TV show was a joke too.

Surely this post is a joke. Long Naval history.

Monketey Ghost

16th April 2009, 07:15 AM

*snip*

That said, I can understand why NASA wants to avoid certain names.

The next large space vehicle, currently under construction, is tentatively named the Millenium Falcon.

Checkmite

16th April 2009, 07:31 AM

Surely this post is a joke. Long Naval history.

Yes, but as I understand it, it wasn't a bunch of Naval history enthusiasts that pushed for the shuttle to be named Enterprise. It was originally going to be named Constitution - a name which certainly would satisfy any naval history buff.

Monketey Ghost

16th April 2009, 07:35 AM

Yes, but as I understand it, it wasn't a bunch of Naval history enthusiasts that pushed for the shuttle to be named Enterprise. It was originally going to be named Constitution - a name which certainly would satisfy any naval history buff.

Really? ~Learn something new on these boards all the time.

If that's the case then I am embarrassed and retract my previous post to ponderingturtle.

Beerina

16th April 2009, 08:46 AM

Anything that puts positive attention on NASA is a good thing.

You'll note the suits are still doing their damnedest to turn it into negative attention on NASA. :(

Beerina

16th April 2009, 08:51 AM

And naming the first shuttle after a failed TV show was a joke too.

Star Trek was a failed TV show? And here I thought it was one of the most successful sci-fi franchises. That besides, Enterprise is, you know, the one of the most distinguished names in navel history, especially in WWII.

That said, I can understand why NASA wants to avoid certain names.

Well, like The Wizard of Oz movie, Trek was failboat when it came out, only making it to two seasons, then a third after a massive fanwriting campaign. And this was getting ratings that, today, would define a hit thanks to all the dozens of channels competing.

But it turned into Win thanks to syndication and a growing group of followers. IIRC, when the movie was finally released, it had the biggest opening weekend in history up to that time. It petered out quickly and the movie wasn't the huge blockbuster they were hoping, but it was more than enough to ensure a long and healthy movie franchise that continues to this day. Well, to May of this year at least! :)

So: At the time, failure. Later (and by the time NASA did the test shuttle) it was already a big success overall. So he's kind of write, but kind of more wrong :)

ponderingturtle

16th April 2009, 09:17 AM

Star Trek was a failed TV show? And here I thought it was one of the most successful sci-fi franchises. That besides, Enterprise is, you know, the one of the most distinguished names in navel history, especially in WWII.

It was named after a cancled TV show. Remember when this was, built in 1974, so no movies, no spin offs, no franchises, just a cancled TV show. And it got the name in a similar fashion.

ponderingturtle

16th April 2009, 09:18 AM

Surely this post is a joke. Long Naval history.

But it was a letter writing campaign from star trek fans that got the shuttle named that.

Cleon

16th April 2009, 12:45 PM

It was named after a cancled TV show. Remember when this was, built in 1974, so no movies, no spin offs, no franchises, just a cancled TV show. And it got the name in a similar fashion.

Actually, no; the second TV series in the franchise, the oft-forgotten Star Trek: The Animated Series, aired in 1973.

Corsair 115

17th April 2009, 01:04 AM

Star Trek was a failed TV show? And here I thought it was one of the most successful sci-fi franchises.

Successful franchise, yes (but owes much to Star Wars demonstrating there was indeed a mass market for science fiction/space fantasy/space opera). Successful television series, not so much. It only lasted three seasons. Not bad, as TV series go, but certainly no longevity champion like Gunsmoke, Law & Order, The Simpsons, or even Married With Children.

HEY!!!! :D Them's fightin' words!

:D

ponderingturtle

17th April 2009, 04:11 AM

Actually, no; the second TV series in the franchise, the oft-forgotten Star Trek: The Animated Series, aired in 1973.

I realized that after investigating yesterday. So it was named after a cartoon.

Checkmite

17th April 2009, 06:22 AM

Actually, no; the second TV series in the franchise, the oft-forgotten Star Trek: The Animated Series, aired in 1973.

Yeah, all....what, four or five episodes?

Cleon

17th April 2009, 06:26 AM

Yeah, all....what, four or five episodes?

22 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_The_Animated_Series). Eight more than Firefly, in other words. ;)

Checkmite

17th April 2009, 06:45 AM

22 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_The_Animated_Series). Eight more than Firefly, in other words. ;)

Didn't watch either of them. Although I've been told Firefly was supposed to have been very good; which doesn't make sense to me, because I think it only lasted one season. Ah, well.

Buckaroo

17th April 2009, 06:52 AM

Didn't watch either of them. Although I've been told Firefly was supposed to have been very good; which doesn't make sense to me, because I think it only lasted one season. Ah, well.

Less than a full season, actually. But its cancellation had nothing to do with quality -- it was all about internal politics at Fox, and clueless execs who didn't understand the show because it was so far outside the bounds of what had been done before.

GreNME

17th April 2009, 07:45 AM

Didn't watch either of them. Although I've been told Firefly was supposed to have been very good; which doesn't make sense to me, because I think it only lasted one season. Ah, well.

There are lots of good shows that wind up not making it past a first season (or even a whole season). The quality (what makes it good) of a show doesn't necessarily always guarantee that it will be popular enough to last, and television stations are in it for the eyeballs, not to promote wonderful storytelling. This is why you get reality television when there are writer strikes, because despite there not being writers the television stations still need to keep people watching their channels to make a profit.

Moochie

17th April 2009, 08:13 AM

At least it wasn't Xenu or L. Ron.

Didn't they name a missile after Cruise?

M.

TriskettheKid

17th April 2009, 08:18 AM

As long as they don't name it Babylon 4, I don't see the issue.

Although, if they did, then maybe we could meet Zathras.

Cleon

17th April 2009, 08:31 AM

As long as they don't name it Babylon 4, I don't see the issue.

Although, if they did, then maybe we could meet Zathras.

At least there would be symmetry.

TriskettheKid

17th April 2009, 08:33 AM

At least there would be symmetry.

Yeah, but you'd get that with Babylon 5, too.

Plus, with Babylon 4 you'd get that whole time thing going on. And you'd get someone becoming a religious figure to an alien race.

And, good God, you'd have to deal with 10 Zathras's....Zathrases.....Zathrai?

I shiver at the thought of that.

Cleon

17th April 2009, 10:26 AM

Yeah, but you'd get that with Babylon 5, too.

Plus, with Babylon 4 you'd get that whole time thing going on. And you'd get someone becoming a religious figure to an alien race.

And, good God, you'd have to deal with 10 Zathras's....Zathrases.....Zathrai?

I shiver at the thought of that.

You missed the reference, I think. ;)

"Zathras is used to being beast of burden to other people's needs. Very sad life. Probably have very sad death. But, at least there is symmetry." - Zathras

ponderingturtle

17th April 2009, 10:32 AM

As long as they don't name it Babylon 4, I don't see the issue.

Although, if they did, then maybe we could meet Zathras.

Or Zathras, or Zathras.

Corsair 115

17th April 2009, 01:24 PM

Plus, with Babylon 4 you'd get that whole time thing going on. And you'd get someone becoming a religious figure to an alien race.

At least you'd avoid the most difficult choice of all: green Drazi or purple Drazi?

"Rule change caught up in committee."

Silly Green Monkey

17th April 2009, 01:53 PM

No no, choosing is easy. It's all random.

TriskettheKid

17th April 2009, 02:23 PM

At least you'd avoid the most difficult choice of all: green Drazi or purple Drazi?

"Rule change caught up in committee."

GRRRRRRRRRR.

I hate the Drazi.

Ok, maybe not hate. Strongly dislike.

gumboot

17th April 2009, 11:26 PM

Yes, but as I understand it, it wasn't a bunch of Naval history enthusiasts that pushed for the shuttle to be named Enterprise. It was originally going to be named Constitution - a name which certainly would satisfy any naval history buff.

The NASA shuttles, other than Enterprise, are all named after ships made famous for their scientific achievements.

Challenger - HMS Challenger (Challenger expedition 1872-76)
Columbia - Columbia Rediviva (first US ship to circumnavigate the Globe)
Discovery - HMS Discovery (second ship of Captain James Cook's last Pacific expedition)
Atlantis - RV Atlantis (first research vessel for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
Endeavour - HMS Endeavour (Captain James Cook's ship on his first expedition to the pacific where he discovered New Zealand and New South Wales)

TriskettheKid

19th April 2009, 10:38 PM

The NASA shuttles, other than Enterprise, are all named after ships made famous for their scientific achievements.

Challenger - HMS Challenger (Challenger expedition 1872-76)
Columbia - Columbia Rediviva (first US ship to circumnavigate the Globe)
Discovery - HMS Discovery (second ship of Captain James Cook's last Pacific expedition)
Atlantis - RV Atlantis (first research vessel for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
Endeavour - HMS Endeavour (Captain James Cook's ship on his first expedition to the pacific where he discovered New Zealand and New South Wales)

I've always found it funny that with a naming scheme like that, we've seen no Shuttle bear the name "Beagle."

arthwollipot

20th April 2009, 01:59 AM

But that's a silly name. Not inspiring like the others. :rolleyes:

Beerina

20th April 2009, 09:04 AM

I don't know, didn't one of the moon missions have modules named Snoopy and Charlie Brown or something?

TriskettheKid

20th April 2009, 10:36 AM

I don't know, didn't one of the moon missions have modules named Snoopy and Charlie Brown or something?

Apollo 10.

LM was Snoopy. CSM was Charlie Brown.

I can't remember what the original names were, but I seem to recall that "Snoopy" and "Charlie Brown" were nicknames that kinda stuck.