Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!unisoft!hoptoad!xanth!kent From: kent@xanth.cs.odu.edu (Kent Paul Dolan) Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle Subject: Re: Shuttle orbiter-naming competition Message-ID: <5832@xanth.cs.odu.edu> Date: 12 Jul 88 09:22:50 GMT References: <11378@ames.arc.nasa.gov> <46000001@hobbiton> Reply-To: kent@cs.odu.edu (Kent Paul Dolan) Organization: Old Dominion University, Norfolk Va. Lines: 53 In article <46000001@hobbiton> choinski@hobbiton.prime.com writes: > >I agree with some other postings -- PHOENIX seems to me to be more in >spirit for this shuttle, rising from the ashes for a new life. > >Besides, some vessel names are kind of dumb. Well, if the rules are "Oceanographic Research Vessels" names, here's a (two year old) list of NOAA's then current fleet: Oceanographer Discoverer Surveyor Fairweather Rainier Miller Freeman McArthur Davidson Townsend Cromwell David Starr Jordan Cobb Murre II Researcher Mt. Mitchell Peirce Whiting Oregon II Albatross IV Delaware II Chapman Ferrel Rude Heck (The latter two are always operated as a unit; they are wire drag survey vessels, for when you absolutely positively have to know that there are no obstructions in an area, so they are usually also spoken of as the Rude and the Heck. Peirce, by the way, is pronounced "purse".) None of these particularly grab my attention [Well, if it weren't for "The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner", Albatross would be perfect; what a beautiful bird in flight!]; I seem to remember a former vessel named "Pioneer" which would be a rather catchy name, but I don't have sources here to check that one. There are, of course, lots of other (University, Coast Guard, Navy) oceanographic research vessels within the US desmenes, and the prior posting didn't indicate that that was a limitation at any rate; I just had these handy, and send them along for information. Kent, the man from xanth.