William Atkins
Wednesday, 15 April 2009 19:06
Science -
Space
Page 2 of 4
According to the April 14, 2009 media report
NASA new Space Station module name honors Apollo anniversary,
“The name Tranquility was chosen from thousands of suggestions submitted by participants on NASA's Web site, www.nasa.gov. The "Help Name Node 3" poll asked people to vote for the module's name either by choosing one of four options listed by NASA or offering their own suggestion. Tranquility was one of the top 10 suggestions submitted by respondents to the poll, which ended March 20.”
After Williams made her "surprise" announcement, Colbert responded to Williams by saying,
"I was assured that my name would be in space! Are you saying NASA is going back on that.”
Williams then declared,
“Your name will be in space in a very important place. We've come up with something that will be in Node 3, eventually. It will be launched this summer."
She then explained that Treadmill-2, which will be inside Tranquility node will be named COLBERT, for Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill.
Colbert seemed happy with the announcement by saying the Node structure itself is like a Nike shoe box, with the important thing being the shoes inside and not the box, relating the treadmill to the shoes and the Node itself to the shoe box.
The Tranquility node be one of three modules—the other two already attached to the International Space Station ("Unity" and "Harmony")—when it is scheduled to arrive at the Space Station in February 2010 onboard space shuttle Endeavour.
Tranquility Node, a pressurized module, will be used for life support systems including facilities for breathable oxygen and drinkable water (from recycled urine and other sources), along with bathroom facilities. The cupola-shaped module contains six windows on the side and one on its top.
Page three adds more from NASA, along with a picture of the new COLBERT treadmill patch. Ah! Oh! Wow!
