Astronauts
aboard the International Space Station say they would welcome the arrival of
the outpost's new orbital room, even if it is named after comedian Stephen
Colbert.
NASA
astronaut Michael Barratt currently living aboard the space station said he is
confident the right
name will be chosen for the outpost's new Node 3, which is slated to be
delivered early next year.
"I'm sure
that the right people will make the right decision," Barratt told reporters via
a video link last week. "We'll be happy to live in the node whatever it's
called."
The node
name game
Colbert, a
comedian and host of Comedy Central's faux-conservative show "The Colbert Report,"
urged his fans to write in his name during NASA's recent online poll to name
Node 3. When voting ended in late March, Colbert's name had amassed
more than 230,000 votes, far outdistancing NASA's top suggestion "Serenity"
by 40,000 votes.
NASA's poll
rules clearly state the agency has the final word on Node 3's name.
"NASA will take into consideration
the results of the voting. However, the results are not binding on NASA and
NASA reserves the right to ultimately select a name in accordance with the best
interests of the agency, its needs, and other considerations," the rules state.
"Such name may not necessarily be one which is on the list of voted-on
candidate names. NASA's decision shall be deemed final."
Still, Colbert has continued to campaign for his name. He called on NASA
to maintain "democracy in orbit" during a recent episode of his show and
renewed his bid on Monday night.
"NASA, don't make me strap a rocket to an intern and launch him into
space with a can of spray paint," Colbert said during Monday's episode of his show.
Some sources have suggested NASA might meet Colbert's fans halfway and
name Node
3's toilet after the comedian. NASA is expected to reveal the final name
soon, agency officials have said.
Barratt
said he missed much of the excitement surrounding Node 3's naming poll because
he spent the last few months in Russia training for his March 26 launch to the
station. It was only after he arrived at the outpost, that the station's crew
filled him in.
"This fight
has just begun," Colbert said, adding that he has received some support from
members of Congress. "Congress, stay on this! If you don't, I will fight it every
step of the way, from the Supreme Court to the Space Court."
Node 3's
delivery crew
Barratt is
not the only one eager to see Node 3 delivered regardless of its name. NASA
astronaut Kay Hire is on the space shuttle crew that will deliver Node 3 in
February 2010.
"What the
final name is going to be, I have no idea, but I am more than happy to help
deliver that node no matter what it's named," Hire told SPACE.com last
month.
Hire and
her crewmates will deliver Node 3 and its attached observation portal, known as
the Cupola, when their shuttle arrives at the space station in February 2010.
Node 3 is a cylindrical room that will be attached to the bottom of the space
station, where it will be filled
with a bathroom and eight refrigerator-sized racks of equipment that
includes much of the station's life support gear.
Hire said
NASA's voting poll may have received an unexpected response thanks to Colbert's
fans, but the result is very positive.
"I think
it's actually really interesting," she said. "We think it's kind of cool in
that, if nothing else, it's just bringing in a new group of people that maybe
didn't pay attention to NASA or the International Space Station or the space
shuttle before."
She added
that she planned to cast her own vote before the polls closed, but was excited
to see Node 3, and by extension NASA, shine in the public spotlight.
"Anything
that allows the public to take a look at what we're doing here at NASA, I think
that's a good thing," Hire said.
SPACE.com Staff Writer Clara Moskowitz
contributed to this report.
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