Stephen Colbert's NASA Dream: Host Lobbies For Space Station Write-In Vote

WASHINGTON — Earth to Space Station Colbert: The cosmic joke may be on NASA.

Comedian Stephen Colbert, who couldn't get his mock presidential campaign off the ground, is polling better by aiming higher. He's convinced his many fans to write in his name in NASA's online public vote to name a new room to be added to the international space station.

So instead of NASA's suggested choices _ Serenity, Legacy, Earthrise or Venture _ the space station's new addition may wind up with the name "Colbert."

The count by mid-Tuesday had votes for the comedian just shy of 115,000 and Serenity trailing at 98,641. More than 451,000 people have voted.

The to-be-named space station room, currently called Node 3, is scheduled to be delivered to the space station near the end of this year. It will have lots of big windows and a machine that will turn astronauts' urine into drinking water.

The name Colbert doesn't quite fit with NASA's theme, said agency spokesman John Yembrick. Other U.S. rooms in the international orbiting outpost are named Unity, Harmony and Destiny. However, the space agency hasn't made any decision and voting continues until March 20.

NASA has a legalistic out. Its contest rules say voting results "are not binding on NASA and NASA reserves the right to ultimately select a name" in keeping with its best interests.

Colbert's guest on "The Colbert Report" Tuesday was the strait-laced NASA official in charge of space station operations, William Gerstenmaier. After taping the show, Gerstenmaier wouldn't reveal what he told the comedian but said he had fun "in an engineer way."

Gerstenmaier said the idea behind the contest was to get people excited about space and he held out hope that NASA won't be stuck or have to ignore the vote: "We've got till the 20th of the month.... I'm looking for folks to be creative and think about what they're doing."

And don't cry for Colbert if NASA uses its regulations to thwart him. He's already managed to get his name attached to an ice cream flavor, a Hungarian bridge and an eagle, to name a few.

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On the Net:

NASA's Name Node 3 Contest: http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/name_ISS/index.html

The Colbert Report: http://www.colbertnation.com/home

Comments

[catchon]

Everyone is going on about Colbert, but no one gets the bigger joke. Serenity might be NASA’s suggestion but it’s doing so well because fans of the sci-fi TV show Firefly are voting for it. The movie based on the show was called Serenity. The spaceship in the show was a firefly class ship named Serenity.

[worldtravelerall7]

As usual, Stephen Colbert is hilariously brilliant, or brilliantly hilarious, whichever. I love it when he mobilizes the Colbert Nation. I admit, the night of that episode, I posted the link to vote on my FB page encouraging all of my friends to vote.

For Colbert fans, you can vote repeatedly if you just clear the cache from your browser. I have voted several hundred times already. There is also a FB group called 'Name the new space station node after Stephen Colbert!"

Personally, I think NASA would be smart to name it after Stephen. Think about it. How many people know the names of the existing nodes? But how many people will know that the name of node 3 is Colbert? Plus, Stephen has a good argument - he has interviewed an astronaut in space while wearing a wriststrong bracelet, and Stephen's DNA is stored in the space station. What more connection to the space station is needed.

[113]

LMFAO i saw that episode where he told people to vote for him...when­ever he tells the colbert nation to do something they do it, it's great....i­f NASA decides to keep the name he will then have his name eternally etched on the sky, you can't beat that....th­at's incredible.

[discourse jockey]

If NASA knew anything about PR, they'd go with Colbert Module in a heartbeat.

[discourse jockey]

Although, admit it people, Xenu would be hilarious, too. And if religious people had humor, which they don't, which is what enables them to stay religious in the first place, they might cleverly lobby for something like "Russel's Teapot" or "Spaghetti Monster"..­.

[llisa]

Colbert's Serenity Module?

[Cloud7Raymaker]

Well "Colbert" is a much better name than "Node 3", and given the rather bland choices in their pre-selected list I would still probably lean toward "Colbert Module" over the others.

[jpwrunyan]

As I am sure someone else may have already pointed out, I don't think Hungary named their bridge after him. They used a similar out as the one Nasa has reserved. That's according to what the Hungarian diplomat said on his show, anyway.

[worldtravelerall7]

one of the requirements for the naming of the hungarian bridge was that the person had to be deceased

[NotMcCain]

The other rooms are named "Unity", "Harmony" and "Destiny"? Who knew?

NASA would be smart to go with "Colbert" even if it doesn't fit their theme.

It's great PR---plus, he'll keep tracking the space station, talking about it, and piquing people's interest~

One small vote for "Colbert"--one giant (popular) vote for the ISS!

[limber]

It'll probably end up being the Serenity room still, but with some sort of commemorative plaque attached under a window reading the "Colbert RePortal" or something.

Though it does contain a bathroom, I think, so he could get the room-within-a-room named for him.

[Shawn Minihan]

I don't know if anyone has said this but, even though Colbert won the Hungarian bridge vote (with Jon Stewart coming in a close second), the Hungarian government refused to name the bridge after Colbert. They named it after some lame "hero" from Hungary.

[aege8th]

Yeah! The NERVE of them! :)

[kapalabhati]

He has my vote! Last year, I went to DC and made a point to have my picture taken with Stephen's at the Smithsonian American Treasures exhibit. I'll "treasure" it always!

[loax]

I vote for Colbert every day! This is such fun. I hope NASA picks Colbert if he wins. The people need a little something to laugh at!

[mzonic]

Imagine, if NASA rejects Colbert's name, and Colbert deploy the Nation against NASA...

[Yarrr]

Forget a module, NASA should be renamed Colbert.

[bubbuh]

Colbert or Colbert butter is a compound butter creamed with lemon juice, parsley, tarragon and beef extract:

A superior recipe:
4 tbsp. softened butter
1⁄2 tsp. demi-glace
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sounds serenity inducing to me.

[amazingdays]

I also saw his portrait hung in an obscure corridor of the national portrait gallery here in DC (I think temporarily, but am not sure). I enjoy this!

Obviously NASA was expecting "Serenity," as a tribute to the cult TV series (long since canceled) Firefly, since the battle of Serenity was key to that show and was the name of the subsequent Firefly movie. "Colbert" sounds less creepy than that. I liked Firefly immensely but the movie was horrific and depressing, and the show is some years dead now.

[svejkist]

Not to mention it was the name of the show's most central character (the ship). Technically the battle was "Serenity Valley." I just watched the whole thing again last week. :-)