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Author
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Topic: What is in a name? A lot, I think...
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mikepf
Member Posts: 441
From: San Jose, California, USA
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 03-08-2005 11:51 AM
   
Hi,
I was just wondering if we are stuck with the name "Crew Exploration Vehicle" for the next generation manned spacecraft. Am I alone in thinking that this is a completely meaningless, if not plain boring name for the ship that will take us back to the moon? I don't know myself what to call it, but Crew Exploration Vehicle just doesn't make any sense to me. Is it supposed to explore the crew? It seems that manned project names have been getting less and less inspirational as time goes on. Mercury, Gemini and Apollo were romantic and imaginative. Skylab was descriptive, yet still with a hint of imagination to it. Shuttle was descriptive and that was about it, but CEV is just too darned clinical. CEV is not a name that will catch the public's attention. I've been a space buff for 40 years and it doesn't do anything for me. I'm all for the project and all that, but that name! Blaaah! I'm also a little worried that this techno-babble name may be a reflection of the mindset of the people who will be running the project. Is CEV it, or is it still a provisional name for the new ship/project? Anyone have any ideas on what we could call this thing, and if we have any chance of influencing NASA to give it a proper name? Thanks, I just needed to vent about this a bit.
Regards,
Mike |
Mike Dixon
Member Posts: 1397
From: Kew, Victoria, Australia
Registered: May 2003
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posted 03-08-2005 04:51 PM
Couldn't agree more Mike ...Seems in this day and age we're hostage to acronyms that are about as inspirational as a paper cup. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-08-2005 05:04 PM
The name of the effort to design, build, and deploy the CEV is Project Constellation. Keep in mind that when CEV was coined, it was only a name: no requirements, design specs or even a purpose had been decided. Now that those details are being decided and at the latest, once a design is chosen, its fairly safe to say a more ceremonious name will be chosen (likely at the suggestion of school children, furthering NASA's education mandate). |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 03-08-2005 05:05 PM
Could always revisit the project names proposed for what became the Space Shuttle - including Pegasus, Hermes, Astroplane, Skylark and Space Clipper (p. 171, Jenkins' Space Shuttle: The History of the National Space Transportation System). |
BLACKARROW
unregistered
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posted 03-08-2005 05:08 PM
How "inspirational" was the acronym "CSM"? We think of the Command and Service Module in romantic terms because of what the men on board made it do, but the name itself was little better than "CEV." If the astronauts who fly the CEV do heroic things, the name CEV will seem heroic. "Lunar Excursion Module" (later "Lunar Module") - Same comments apply. |
mikepf
Member Posts: 441
From: San Jose, California, USA
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 03-08-2005 07:19 PM
Thanks for the replies. Robert, your comment about having school children help pick a name is just the thing to get people, especially young people involved with the project. Getting the public to feel more involved is a must if popular support is wanted to make this a go. As far as the names Command Module and Lunar Module, they were at least descriptive. I admit to being thick from time to time, but I just can't understand what the term "Crew Exploration Module" is supposed to MEAN. If it was "Crewed" it would at least seem to make some kind of sense. I have complete faith that the men and women who will fly the ship will do great things. I just hope I don't have to hear that name for the next 20 years!
Regards,
Mike |
KSCartist
Member Posts: 2896
From: Titusville, FL USA
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 03-08-2005 08:04 PM
Mike, et al:I understand your reaction to the name, But like Robert said a new name for each CEV will be chosen. One thing to keep in mind - name trivia - The original name for "Enterprise" was "Constitution" as it was unveiled at Rockwell on September 17, 1976. (Constitution Day during the Bicentennial year). But the Trekkies (later Trekkers) made a big push to change the name. Problem was "Enterprise" was never designed to fly into space. They should have waited until another shuttle was built.
Hang in there and get ready for another naming campaign .
Tim
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DavidH
Member Posts: 1217
From: Huntsville, AL, USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 03-09-2005 09:18 AM
Speaking of naming contests, one is being planned to find a name for ISS Node 2.
http://tinyurl.com/4jvg5 But, yeah, I imagine that 10 years from now or so, you'll hear "Crew Exploration Vehicle" used about as often as you hear "Space Transportation System" now. ------------------
http://allthese worlds.hatbag.net/space.php
"America's challenge of today has forged man's destiny of tomorrow." - Commander Eugene Cernan, Apollo 17 Mission, 11 December 1972 |
KenDavis
Member Posts: 187
From: W.Sussex United Kingdom
Registered: May 2003
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posted 03-11-2005 07:26 AM
Agree with Mike that 'Crew Exploration Vehicle' suggests the crew are being explored, however Crewed Exploration Vehicle will get changed by some wit to be 'Crude' Exploration Vehicle! |
Danno
Member Posts: 572
From: Ridgecrest, CA - USA
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 03-11-2005 01:24 PM
I believe this was just keeping in line with the Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) type naming. The same type of vehicle has been around (design-wise) in a few different incarnations leading up to the CEV.I think some NASA guy just went for the next evolution and replaced "Return" with "Exploration". I was hoping for something with a little more pizazz, like "Lunar Space Pod" or "Space Explorer Crew Module". Something with the word "Martian" in the title would be too cool! Robert should start a contest!! Dan |
BLACKARROW
unregistered
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posted 03-12-2005 09:03 AM
What about the "Planetary Access Vehicle"? |
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