April 15, 2009-- NASA unveiled the name "Tranquility" for the latest crew module of the International Space Station. Astronaut Sunita Williams announced the name during the Colbert Report on Comedy Central last night. Host Steven Colbert wanted the compartment named for him, but had to settle for a station treadmill now called the "Combined Operation Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill" or COLBERT for short. By the way "Tranquility" is also a tip of the hat to Apollo 11 and the 40th anniversary of the 1st moon landing in July. Show biz aside, the crowning achievement of the Tranquility module is expected to be the installation of an observation dome called the Cupola. Astronauts should be able to see most of the station's exterior from there |
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