# Next Shuttle Names **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 2, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313 "2003-02-02T16:12:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/1 "2003-02-02T16:12:34Z")
This [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=160255) regarding shuttle replacement got me thinking. If we add to our existing fleet, or create new designs, what should the names of those vehicles be? What would you name the next few craft? Right now I can’t decide; continue with nouns and verbs, or pursue another tack. Or perhaps something honoring the astro/cosmonaut heroes who have since made the ultimate sacrifice in this magnificent pursuit? What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/2 "2003-02-02T16:46:32Z")
This is a slight hijack, but I’ve been wanting to get something off of my chest. After [_Challenger_](http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/shuttle/resources/orbiters/challenger.html) was lost someone wrote a letter to the _Los Angeles Times_ saying that he thought it was appalling that NASA would name the “next shuttle” [_Atlantis_](http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/nasafact/orbitersatl.htm), considering that _Challenger_ fell into the sea. I wrote a reply to his letter saying that _Atlantis_ was delivered to NASA in April 1985, and made her first flight in October 1985. So _Atlantis_ was already named and flown before _Challenger_ crashed. The _Times_ did not see fit to print my letter. As far as I know, the guy who was outraged that NASA would name a Shuttle _Atlantis_ after losing _Challenger_ in the ocean still has no idea of the chronology and is still outraged. Thanks for letting me get that off of my chest. ---
**Author:** ![Forbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@Forbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forbin)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/3 "2003-02-02T17:41:13Z")
What about “Argo”? ---
**Author:** ![miatachris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@miatachris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miatachris)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/4 "2003-02-02T17:50:27Z")
I’ve always been partial to the reuse of Apollo names. - Eagle\* - Intrepid \* - Odyssey \* ---
**Author:** ![Wearia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Wearia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wearia)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/5 "2003-02-02T18:03:25Z")
Lets see here, Helios, Enigma, Falcon, Explorer, Levithan, Titan to name a few. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/6 "2003-02-02T18:19:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by miatachris \* > \*\*I’ve always been partial to the reuse of Apollo names. > > - Eagle\* > > - Intrepid \* > > - Odyssey \* \*\* Aquarius, Yankee Clipper, Antares, Orion, America. ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/7 "2003-02-02T18:32:36Z")
I like the idea of mythical heroic names, names of important or distinctive sailing ships of old, etc. Names of stars and constellations seem appropriate. I don’t know about naming in honor of lost Astronauts/Cosmonauts - maybe. They do that in Star Trek occasionally and in “2010” the Russian spacecraft was called the Leonov. I’m not sure they’d ever name a spacecraft “Bob” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/8 "2003-02-02T18:37:53Z")
What are you talking about? Bob is a perfectly crumpulent name for a spacecraft. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/9 "2003-02-02T18:45:06Z")
Constitution, just like Enterprise was supposed to be named, before all those Trekkies started their letter writing capaign. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/10 "2003-02-02T19:08:51Z")
Well, I’d like to see NASA take names from some of Iain Banks’ Culture novels. Even though it would never happen, shuttles with names like _Gray Area_ or _No More Mister Nice Guy_ would be cool, man. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/11 "2003-02-02T19:11:11Z")
Actually, I kind of like _Enterprise_ or even _Excelsior_. I think _Constitution_ would be good. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/12 "2003-02-02T19:11:58Z")
Theres something funny to me about the fact that the Enterprise isn’t/wasn’t even capable of space flight. Poor trekkies. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/13 "2003-02-02T19:31:03Z")
When they named the _Endeavor_, they had a competition among elementary and middle school students to come up with the new name, and submit some sort of project. I had a group that entered, and the name we picked was, in fact, _Endeavor_. We weren’t the winners, though, since our project blew. (I don’t even remember what it was.) I think about half the teams that entered picked _Endeavor_. Dr. J ---
**Author:** ![raisinbread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8491ac/32.png) [@raisinbread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raisinbread)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/14 "2003-02-02T19:36:48Z")
How about “Yamato”? Or “Keep On Truckin’”? Perhaps “Mars or Bust in 2143!!!” ---
**Author:** ![mighty\_maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@mighty\_maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mighty_maxx)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/15 "2003-02-02T20:15:44Z")
I like Magellan, or Ericson…I like the idea of useing famous explorers. ---
**Author:** ![Howard\_Juneau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/bb73d2/32.png) [@Howard\_Juneau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Howard_Juneau)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/16 "2003-02-02T20:36:43Z")
How’s about all the NASA employees put their own names in a hat, and then draw a winner? ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/17 "2003-02-02T20:46:54Z")
How about _Beagel_? ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/18 "2003-02-02T20:48:26Z")
Or _Beagle_ Either way. :o ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/19 "2003-02-02T20:53:43Z")
\*Grissom’s Phoenix Von Braun’s Wings Goddard’s Angel Einstein’s Vision Rising Star\* ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313/20 "2003-02-02T20:54:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Howard Juneau \* > \*\*How’s about all the NASA employees put their own names in a hat, and then draw a winner? \*\* **3** … **2** … **1** … **Liftoff** , of the Space Shuttle Theodore Irwin Finklestein… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-shuttle-names/152313.md?page=2)