Stephen Colbert Wins NASA Contest -- But Will They Name Space Station After Him?

WASHINGTON — NASA's online contest to name a new room at the international space station went awry. Comedian Stephen Colbert won.

The name "Colbert" beat out NASA's four suggested options in the space agency's effort to have the public help name the addition. The new room will be launched later this year.

NASA's mistake was allowing write-ins. Colbert urged viewers of his Comedy Central show, "The Colbert Report" to write in his name. And they complied, with 230,539 votes. That clobbered Serenity, one of the NASA choices, by more than 40,000 votes. Nearly 1.2 million votes were cast by the time the contest ended Friday.

NASA reserves the right to choose an appropriate name. Agency spokesman John Yembrick said NASA will decide in April, but will give top vote-getters "the most consideration."

Comments

[wagadog]

The space program really should express what is best in humanity -- so to name the space station after a comic is highly, highly appropriate.

I hope that this sets the tone for the people who will be staying there for extended periods of time: the one personal quality they will need the most is a sense of humor!

Instead of little IBM reminder signs telling them to "THINK!" they should have similarly-formatted signs up saying "LAUGH!"

[wagadog]

AWESOME!!!

The Cosmic - Comic Connection!

[Dem for peace11]

lol i can just imagine the month long rant that is sure to ensue on his show if they don't name it after him... no matter what happens, i'm sure it will be hilarious

[ranchero42]

Coulda been the "Howard Stern" room.

[mlaiuppa]

Actually, I was thinking future rooms could be the Steve Martin room and the Robin Williams room.

[southwindow]

we will see how democratic nasa is!

[zola77]

nasa doesnt need to be democratic. It is a scientific organisation, its not part of the legislature. When nasa gets a vote in how much money they get from government for scientific research, I will agree that it should be democratic - but only then!

[cinesimon]

YAY!
I voted too.

I'm sure on his 'Today' show interview recently he said that he'd been told that they'd honor it. He said it when he was his private self, not the character - so fingers crossed.

Definitely humor we need right now.

[LittlePurpleUSA]

It would be good for NASA to honor this.

[obamagal]

I voted for COLBERT!

[zippywpinhead]

lol, me too...

[Hopeington]

me too, seems like NASA should honor the vote.

[Hirnlego]

same :D

[barrista]

lol, yeah im sure colbert will take it well if they DON'T choose his name.

[shaqfan]

I did my part. I voted for him. I hope NASA names it after him. This is so funny.

[kurttrail]

I did my part and voted for COLBERT!