NASA put up a poll on its website to name Node 3 on the International Space Station. Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report, a comedy show on Comedy Central, tells his fans to go to the website and write-in his name as the official name of Node 3.
Well, he won, except not. According to the CNN article, "The contest rules spelled out that NASA reserves the right to 'ultimately select a name in accordance with the best interests of the agency. ... Such name may not necessarily be one which is on the list of voted-on candidate names.' "
NASA instead picks the name "Tranquility". Which is the name that had the most votes right? No, wrong. The name that had the most votes was "Serenity" - which I personally like.
NASA's fine print basically schooled everyone. Shows you that naming space things is an esoteric practice where only space geeks can participate and vote. There goes my dream of having a star named after me (in an official capacity).
So, what was the purpose of the poll again, NASA? I would call that a major FAIL in trying to involve the nation in a failing space program. Next time you need publicity on a space project, we say screw you since you don't consider our input anyways. Unless, of course, it has something to do with lasers and photon torpedoes and warp drives, then count me in, because Star Trek is THE awesome.
Oh, Colbert did get a consolation prize - having an exercise bike named after him: The Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill, or COLBERT. Cool right? NOT! NASA = Lame!
Well, he won, except not. According to the CNN article, "The contest rules spelled out that NASA reserves the right to 'ultimately select a name in accordance with the best interests of the agency. ... Such name may not necessarily be one which is on the list of voted-on candidate names.' "
NASA instead picks the name "Tranquility". Which is the name that had the most votes right? No, wrong. The name that had the most votes was "Serenity" - which I personally like.
NASA's fine print basically schooled everyone. Shows you that naming space things is an esoteric practice where only space geeks can participate and vote. There goes my dream of having a star named after me (in an official capacity).
So, what was the purpose of the poll again, NASA? I would call that a major FAIL in trying to involve the nation in a failing space program. Next time you need publicity on a space project, we say screw you since you don't consider our input anyways. Unless, of course, it has something to do with lasers and photon torpedoes and warp drives, then count me in, because Star Trek is THE awesome.
Oh, Colbert did get a consolation prize - having an exercise bike named after him: The Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill, or COLBERT. Cool right? NOT! NASA = Lame!
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