- Colbert: 230,539
- Serenity: 190,196
I’m still counting on the nice NASA man to hold out for “Serenity,” I think it fits very nicely into the current naming scheme.
Original source at http://www.nofactzone.net/?p=12225
I’m sure they’ll pick Serenity, but as one of the write-in voters who decided it was worth a try, I have to say I laughed when I saw it win.
Nasa ballot leaves agency red-faced after fans pick satirist’s name for new room on international space station
An American comedian has embarrassed Nasa, the US space agency, by winning a competition to have part of the International Space Station named after him.
Space scientists had urged the public to select Serenity as the name of the third new “living room” aboard the orbiting outpost to match the existing Unity and Harmony modules.
But Nasa may have to name it Colbert instead after almost a quarter of a million fans voted to give the satirist Stephen Colbert a giant leap into space.
The comedian’s name beat the agency’s preferred choice by more than 40,000 votes in a total ballot of 1.2m. Other Nasa recommendations included Venture, Earthrise and Legacy, while Myyearbook and Socialvibe were among the public’s suggestions.
Colbert’s trip to the stars, however, may yet be grounded when the final decision is made next month. John Yembrick, a Nasa spokesman, said his bosses would give the winning suggestion “the most consideration” but reserved the right to give the new module an “appropriate” name when it is launched aboard the space shuttle Endeavour next spring.
Among the hi-tech equipment due to occupy the extra room aboard the 10-year-old space station is a unit that will convert astronauts’ urine into drinking water.
Entering Colbert’s name in competitions has become something of a tradition for fans of his late-night TV show, The Colbert Report. Also named after him are a peregrine falcon in California and a flavour of Ben and Jerry’s ice-cream, Stephen Colbert’s Americone Dream.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/mar/24/stephen-colbert-name-nasa-contest
Odd how the guardian bit you quote doesn’t actually mention that SERENITY is the preferred name.
Eh, browncoats should be used to losing.
And Colbert, as a geek, should have known better. Alas.
The part where it says “Space scientists had urged the public to select Serenity as the name of the third new “living room” aboard the orbiting outpost to match the existing Unity and Harmony modules” doesn’t lead to the impression that Serenity is the preferred name?
LOL, you’re right, for whatever reason when I read it before I missed that paragraph.
My brain is now officially mush 
I wish I thought of this before, but i SO would have written in “Alliance.”
Damn, that is a good name.
Im kinda pissed. Colbert did it as a joke and to be silly. I dont think he really cares about it other than boosting his own ego and ratings. And his fans didn’t vote because it is something they are passionate about they did it because they thinks its funny. They will forgot about it next month. This actually makes me want to avoid his show now. I really hope NASA does the right thing…
Colbert will not forget about it. He still references the bald eagle he refers to as his son. Still brings up his flavored ice cream. It was definitely done in the name of satire, but he was truly thrilled when he was able to speak to one of the astronauts aboard the station a few months ago. He was even more thrilled that the guy had on a “wrist strong” bracelet as well. His character is a bombastic boob, the man is pretty humble & aware of just what his status is. His father is a scientist, I doubt he, the man, in the end will not take it as anything but the honor it deserves to be.
Yeah, for all his character’s bombast, Colbert is a geek through-and-through. I said before that I’d be cool with it being named after him (and given that it’s half a waste-processing system, NASA might be too.)
Well it was fun hoping the Browncoats would prevail.
Next time.
I am cautiously optimistic about this,(especially since it’s April Fools Day) but it looks like the browncoats prevailed! Check it out! I’m still looking for more official links, and will post them if/when I fine them. So…fingers crossed.
I’m guessing it’s a joke:
“We take these threats against NASA very seriously,” said an official at the space agency, referring to Colbert’s warning against NASA Monday night on the ‘Colbert Report’ where Colbert demanded the node be named after him or he will “seize power as space’s evil tyrant overlord.”
I literally almost fell uot of my chair when he said that Pike! I laughed so hard, esepcially at the costume they showed him wearing!!
The site now says that they will announce the name on Tuesday April 14th. Hope they get it right. 
Me too. I was somewhat infuriated by a story on Digg about how they’ve already named it Colbert. Um, excuse me, read on how Nasa hasn’t announced it yet.
But us Browncoats, we’re used to lost causes. Go Serenity! (though I know I have no effect on it now)
I don’t think NASA will name the whole module after him. If they name any part of it I hope it’s the urine recycler…or the slinger (toilet as it’s called by the astronauts). 
So they’re announcing the name tomorrow on The Colbert Report. Does this mean they’re naming it after him, or that they’re announcing it there so he can do an outraged skit?
My money is on them naming the module “Serenity” and the toilet “Colbert.”