Conference 7.286::space

I kind of like that too.  Perhaps there should be 7 plaques made to be placed
on them (stored in the interm at the National Air and Space Museum, just
as the plaque to be place on the Muchly Memorial Station on Mars is).

Burns

Naming the moons of Uranus after the seven astronaut heros is
a wonderful idea.  It feels like a fitting memorial for those
whose lives were focused on space travel and who died and were
buried in space.  Their names are not just history to put behind
us, but they are martyrs for the cause of exploring space and
for increasing the collective knowledge of mankind.  

Rick Merrill

I just wish I had been listening closely enough to hear who proposed
the idea.  I know it was on a news report of some kind, not a listener
call-in, so that suggests that someone in a position of influence
made the proposal.  Maybe we'll hear more about it in the next few days.

Craig

It was a Senator (or maybe representative) from maybe Florida, who
just happens to be an ex-shuttle astronaut.  He has introduced
legislation to this effect.

The discoverer of new celestial bodies gets to name them, and since
the Voyager (a USA craft) discovered the moons, I guess the Congress
can direct certain names be used.

The irony of naming the Uranian moons as a memorial is that no human
being, either directly or indirectly, is likely to see them again for
a very long time.  (Unless another probe goes that way;  but I doubt
that one will for quite a while.)  The Hubble telescope might be able 
to see them, but who knows when that will be launched?

Yes ! An excellent proposal. As I remember there is an international
authority (IAU ?) that approves appropriate astronomical names? Does
anyone know where to lobby in support ?

- Dave Drake

I heard on the news on the way in this morning that the scientists at 
(the place that was running Voyager) wanted to name the moons after the 
seven astronauts! So maybe it will happen?

        /s/     Bob

I recall from the time of the Apollo accident that a year or two later 
the IAU approved the naming of three stars to commemorate the three who 
died then. The rules for naming that the IAU set up do not permit (or 
did not) naming them for someone's name, either living or dead, but 
allowed naming them in commemoration of someone. The result was that the 
stars were given permutations of the astronaut's names. I seem to recall 
that the one named for Roger Chafee is now "Regor" - the reverse 
spelling of Roger. I don't recall the others exactly - I think one was 
an arrangement of Virgil - "Gus" Grissom's first name.

Although discovery of the moons of Uranus makes the naming of them seem 
attractive, I would prefer the symbolism of naming stars as a shining 
light in the heavens, instead of dark, frozen moons to remember these 
astronauts by.

The stars named in honor of the Apollo I crew members were:

REGOR  - Roger backwards - For Roger S. Chaffee
DNOCES - Second backwards  - For Edward White the Second
NAVI   - Ivan backwards - For Virgil Ivan Grissom

The stars (I believe) are 3 fairly visible stars used for navigation.

Glenn

A CONGRESSMAN, PROPOSED THE IDEA, I'M NOT TOO SURE WHICH ONE AT THE
MOMENT. BUT I THINK IT IS A FITTING IDEA, AND HOPE THAT IT IS REAL-
IZED FOR THE MEMORY OF THE CREW ON BOARD THE ILL FAITED CHALLENGER....

The "Congressman" is Bill Armstrong (fitting name) who represents the 
district here in Colorado where our plant is.

			Bruce

In related news it was announced today that the Soviets are naming two craters
on Venus after the women on board.  All the other craters have been named
after great women in Soviet history.

It's truely wonderful to see the way this incident has drawn the whole world
closer together.  Certainly, not as close together as we need but its a positive
direction, at least.

Don

Re: .12

> It's truely wonderful to see the way this incident has drawn the whole world
> close together.

Well, mostly, anyway.  The Soviets and (of course) Khadaffy couldnt't resist
taking a pot-shot at the imperialistic motives of the US - read the news
releases...

I heard that Rep Nelson from Florida had made the proposal.  He, of course,
was the second politician to fly the Shuttle.

I believe that 10 new moons were discovered.  Hmm -- maybe White, Chaffee,
and Grissom would be good names for the other three.  Nasa has also lost
other astronauts, although until now none had been lost in an in-flight
spacecraft.  Elliot See and Charles Bassett (sp??) piled their T38 into
a building (ironically, the one they were coming to visit) shortly before
their Gemini flight (can't remember which one).  Countless test pilots have
also been killed testing vehicles which ultimately led to the shuttle.

I hope we can find some way to remember them all.

    I believe they were the original crew of Gemini 9. Prior to that,
    another astronaut, (I don't remember his first name) Freeman was also
    killed in a T38 crash. 

    Better late than never-
    
    Three craters on the back side of the moon were named Grissom, White,
    and Chaffee, once the Lunar Orbiters had mapped it all. I believe
    the IAU approved the namings, as well several named for cosmonauts
    (I know Gargarin was one)...
    
    Tom R.

    I understand that seven recently-discovered asteroids have been
    named for the Challenger crew.
        John Sauter