Name Your Node
NASA is letting the public choose the name of its newest addition to the International Space Station (Node 3 and its cupola). According to the NASA website, the “name should reflect the spirit of exploration and cooperation embodied by the space station, and follow in the tradition set by Node 1-Unity and Node 2-Harmony.”
The cupola will be delivered to the space station in December and will offer spectacular views of Earth. Six rectangular windows and one circular window will offer a panoramic view unrivaled by any other spacecraft ever flown. The cupola will also contain a robotics workstation to allow astronauts to control the giant robotic arm of the space station. Node 3 will house many of the station’s life support systems.
The leading names are:
- Earthrise
- Legacy
- Serenity
- Venture
However, you can suggest a name if you think you have a better one. One of my favorite “write-in” names is Tranquility, but since I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan, I’ve got to stick with Serenity. It’s the name of Whedon’s 2005 movie which was the continuation of a short-lived scifi series on Fox. Serenity was also the name of the cargo ship that transported the characters around the ‘verse. It’s just so fitting for the space station.
Voting is open through March 20, and the winning name will be announced in April. I’ve already placed my vote. To register yours, click here.
