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.