NASA Names New Spaceship 'Orion'

An anonymous reader writes "NASA's new spaceship that will carry astronauts to the moon and later to Mars has been officially named Orion. NASA confirmed the name after it was accidentally leaked to the media. Previously called the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), Orion will be NASA's main human spaceflight vehicle after the space shuttle fleet is retired in 2010. Orion was named after one of the brightest constellations in the entire sky. Earlier this year, the rocket that will launch Orion was named Ares I, and the heavy-lift rocket was named Ares V. NASA hopes the new names will become as familiar as Apollo and Saturn V."

Comments

The wrong name

[exp(pi*sqrt(163))]

Project Orion is already well known as the name of a hypothetical propulsion method that uses nuclear explosions to literally blast the vehicle forward. As this new project seems entirely unrelated it's a bit inappropriate to take this name. The original Project Orion has had that name for decades and it's had a few reputable names behind it so we're not just talking about stealing a name from some crackpot's pet project.

Re:The wrong name

[The_REAL_DZA]

Perhaps, but to date only Slim Pickens has actually ridden a nuclear bomb anywhere (and he rode his straight down...) so there's not likely to be the kind of cutthroat controversy usually reserved for the Astronomers -vs- Geologists.

Re:Stargate?

[d_strand]

you kids these days :-)

Besides a constelation, Orion is also a well known space project from the 70s which dealt with nuclear propulsion (wiki).

Apollo Legacy

[McFortner]

The Project Apollo mission patch (image at http://www.goroadachi.com/etemenanki/apollo-logo.j pg)has the constellation of Orion in "A" in the center of the patch, so Orion is a continuation of the Apollo legacy and a commitment to the return to the Moon. Michael

RUN run run run run.

[the_REAL_sam]

RUN run Run run Run.
Pant Pant Pant Pant Pant.
SWEAT SWEAT SWEAT SWEAT SWEAT.

(Bursts through door)

"It's called Orion!"
"We Know."