Posted on 08/22/2006 12:56:54 PM PDT by FReepaholic
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The name of the new vehicle that NASA hopes returns astronauts to the moon was supposed to be kept hush until an announcement scheduled for next week at the earliest.
But apparently U.S. astronaut Jeff Williams, floating 220 miles above Earth at the International Space Station, did not get the memo.
(Excerpt) Read more at local6.com ...
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.
But every module had a distinct, crew-given name like "Snoopy" or "Eagle".
...but who's counting?
For the record, I think "Hermes" would be a ridiculous name...sounds kind of "sissy."
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).
Orion was the nuclear spacecraft program.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_pulse_propulsion
Yeah. It's not an attractive picture--wings on sandals.
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.
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.
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?
Also considering that Hermes guided dead souls to the Underworld.
"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.
Really? That doesn't seem like a necessary constraint and probably won't save any money at all.
double plus ungood.
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....
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