Secret Name For NASA Craft Slips Out

Associated Press ^ | 08/22/06 | Unknown

[thoughtomator]

"Orion"... gee, that's original.

[RightWhale]

Spacecraft names should be short so they don't take up much space or use critical weight allocations. For example 'Indefatigable' would probably reduce allowances for rum just because of the space it would take up in the manuals and on the fantail.

[Vaquero]

How about HOMER! and then the rest of the world can kiss it.

[SJSAMPLE]

But every module had a distinct, crew-given name like "Snoopy" or "Eagle".

[My2Cents]

So has Orion...

...but who's counting?

For the record, I think "Hermes" would be a ridiculous name...sounds kind of "sissy."

[Oh Brother]

While the Apollo craft obviously had a name, NASA never gave a name to the lunar module, simply calling it "the LEM."

As pointed out, the LEM was later shortened to LM. The Apollo name was for the program, not any vehicle. The capsule the crew was launched in was the CM for Command Module.

When in flight, but with either the CM or the LM and CM attached, the crew was called "Apollo" no matter what vehicle they were in. When the 2 spacecraft were flying separately, they used names as call signs (i.e. Columbia, Eagle).

[Waverunner]

Orion was the nuclear spacecraft program.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_pulse_propulsion

[samm1148]

They should call it "the fleece" in honor of what the government does to serfs--uh citizens.

[RightWhale]

Yeah. It's not an attractive picture--wings on sandals.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

While the Apollo craft obviously had a name, NASA never gave a name to the lunar module, simply calling it "the LEM."

The program was called Apollo and the assembled launch vehicles were numbered by launch. But the orbiters and landers had their own names.

Here's Eagle returning to Columbia.

[My2Cents]

The Apollo name was for the program, not any vehicle.

Good point. Thanks for the correction. I guess this new venture will be called "The Orion Program" then? Since the command vehicles will be reusable, I would guess they'll have their own names. Maybe "Hermes" is still in the running.

[andy58-in-nh]

Nice PC-3 pic. I agree: "Hermes" just sounds... effete. (I think there once was a men's cologne with that name). It should be something more virile, manly. "Brutus", perhaps, or "Centurion". Or are we just too wussified as a culture to go that way?

[mewzilla]

Well, I'd've suggested the name from the ship on Quark, but they never named it.

[My2Cents]

Also considering that Hermes guided dead souls to the Underworld.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"In other news, Portugal will be launching some wooden sailing ships to explore North America."

Actually, the sierra club said that the forest that the Portugese are going to harvest their logs from has an endangered woodpecker living there.

The Portugese will have to settle for environment friendly fiberglass.

[evets]

The galaxy is on Orion's belt:

[RightWhale]

the command vehicles will be reusable

Really? That doesn't seem like a necessary constraint and probably won't save any money at all.

[mandingo republican]

http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~ja9lsz/orion-beer1.jpg great beer

[RightWhale]

double plus ungood.

[KenHorse]

But apparently U.S. astronaut Jeff Williams, floating 220 miles above Earth at the International Space Station, did not get the memo.

Gee, you mean AP didn't say "An unnamed source in the Bush Adminstration........."

Not to worry, they'll publish Photoshopped pics of the spacecraft next week....