NASA Space Crew Running on Colbert
NASA via Getty Images, Simitrios Kambouris/ Getty Images
A tip of the hat to Stephen Colbert's mighty effort. A wag of the finger to NASA's refusal to give the funnyman his due.
Though NASA's powers that be have refused to name a node (aka a room) on the International Space Station after the Colbert Report host, the government agency said Monday that they are naming a high-tech treadmill after the Emmy winner instead.
The Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT) will be operational starting in August, and will then be used to keep our on-duty astronauts in tip-top shape for years to come.
Meanwhile, Node 3 will be called Tranquility, despite Colbert's overwhelming success as a write-in candidate to have the room named after him.
"I have taken a bunch of cough syrup, so it feels like I'm floating," Colbert said tonight in
anticipation of what he thought was going to be an even shinier moment.
"We have come up with something that will be in Node 3 eventually," offered astronaut and space-station veteran Sunita Williams, who ran the first marathon in space on a treadmill similar to the COLBERT.
But could NASA still be nursing a grudge because "Colbert" originally beat out sanctioned names like "Serenity," "Legacy," "Earthrise" and "Venture"?
"We don't typically name U.S. space station hardware after living people and this is no exception," NASA's Bill Gerstenmaier said cryptically. "We have invited Stephen to Florida for the launch of COLBERT and to Houston to try out a version of the treadmill that astronauts train on."
The Big Picture
All Growed Up Guess Zac has officially adopted the smoldering look, 'cause we haven't seen a smile in weeks
More PhotosMost Commented
- Bitch-Back! Breaking News—Johnny's a Hottie (916)
- Rob and Kristen "Relaxed" Together in NYC (673)
- Costars and Suits Give Robsten Their Blessings! (650)
- Rob Flies Back to L.A. With Kristen (521)
- Truth, Lies & Ted: Twilight Special (478)
- Why Won't Sarah Palin Go Away? (448)
- Adam Lambert: For Your Entertainment—or His? (437)
- Is New Moon Even Good? (424)
- Review: New Moon Is Either Just Fine or Way Mopey, Depending On Who You Are (363)
- Bitch-Back! Is There Drama on the Gossip Girl Set? (345)
Top 10 Stories
- Dancing With the Stars: A New Winner Raises the Disco Ball
- J.Lo's Ex: There's "Maybe One Spanking," but I'm Not Selling a Sex Tape
- Nicole Richie Back in Her Own Bed
- GMA Doesn't Want Adam Lambert's Sloppy Seconds...Cue The Early Show!
- Goodbye or Good Riddance to Jon & Kate Plus 8?
- Oprah's Mom Settles Clothes Call Lawsuit
- Rihanna Sings Threesome, Avoids Going Naked on GMA
- Michael Lohan Runs Out of Family Members to Alienate, Starts Leaking Jon Gosselin Tapes
- It's a Sexy Job, but Adam Lambert's Gotta Do It!
- Donny Discovers Parts He Never Had Before for Dancing With the Stars Finale
Fashion Police
Sloppy SuitingGwyneth dares to experiment with hard-to-wear satin, but the result is dull and unpolished
More Photos
Latest Movie Reviews
Get Your E! News Now
18 Comments
-
Show the next 1 - 0 of 18 comments
Now loading...