A name for MSL, MSL |
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A name for MSL, MSL |
 Mar 23 2009, 08:08 AM
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#106
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 The Poet Dude  Group: Moderator Posts: 5551 Joined: 15-March 04 From: Kendal, Cumbria, UK Member No.: 60  |
Voting is now open, and here are your choices...
Sunrise Pursuit Wonder Amelia Vision Adventure Curiosity Perception Journey. ...? Vote here -------------------- |
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Mar 23 2009, 08:11 AM
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#107
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 540 Joined: 25-October 05 From: California Member No.: 535 |
Curiosity sounds like a good name...since it has 5 syllables like Opportunity. If you're superstitious like I am...
-------------------- 2011 JPL Tweetup photos: http://www.rich-parno.com/aa_jpltweetup.html
http://human-spaceflight.blogspot.com |
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Mar 23 2009, 02:07 PM
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#108
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 Special Cookie Group: Members Posts: 2168 Joined: 6-April 05 From: Sintra | Portugal Member No.: 228 |
Sorry...but there isn't one suggestion that I find suitable for MSL...
 But voted anyway...Pursuit. -------------------- "Ride, boldly ride," The shade replied, "If you seek for Eldorado!"
Edgar Alan Poe |
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Mar 23 2009, 02:14 PM
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#109
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Forum Contributor Group: Members Posts: 1372 Joined: 8-February 04 From: North East Florida, USA. Member No.: 11 |
I agree they are all rubbishy names. Who on Earth selected these ?
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Mar 23 2009, 02:17 PM
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#110
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The Poet Dude Group: Moderator Posts: 5551 Joined: 15-March 04 From: Kendal, Cumbria, UK Member No.: 60 |
Schoolkids submitted them, just as they did, I believe, with Spirit and Oppy.
Struggling to find one that I like, or catches my eye, but I'm leaning towards "Pursuit". Just 'cos it sounds a bit tougher. -------------------- |
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Mar 23 2009, 02:23 PM
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#111
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Special Cookie Group: Members Posts: 2168 Joined: 6-April 05 From: Sintra | Portugal Member No.: 228 |
So go find those kids who named MER and hire them!
 Do you believe this was the best the kids came up with?... Or the guys making the selection were on a uninspired mood?... Sunrise?!? -------------------- "Ride, boldly ride," The shade replied, "If you seek for Eldorado!"
Edgar Alan Poe |
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Mar 23 2009, 02:31 PM
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#112
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1281 Joined: 18-December 04 From: San Diego, CA Member No.: 124 |
I dunno, these names sound more like new age music albums than fitting monikers for the heavy metal we are sending to another planet....
Anyway - torn between Amelia, which I assume is in memory of Ms. Earhart, and Perception. Perception - I think it would be cool to have a name that reminds us of the need to look around and be aware. It also seems a happy harbinger of the many discoveries MSL will make... Pursuit sounds cool, but makes me think of police car chase videos 
-------------------- Lyford Rome
"Zis is not nuts, zis is super-nuts!" Mathematician Richard Courant on viewing an Orion test |
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Mar 23 2009, 02:33 PM
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#113
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3648 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Croatia Member No.: 523 |
I have to say none of those names strike me as fitting, either. To be honest, though, I'd probably have said the same about Spirit and Opportunity had I given it much thought before the names were a done deal.
Sunrise rover has a certain ring to it, maybe it's just me. Still sounds a bit lame. -------------------- |
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Mar 23 2009, 02:42 PM
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#114
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3516 Joined: 4-November 05 From: North Wales Member No.: 542 |
Oh dear. I can't believe that all the suggestions they got were that bad. Show us the rejects!
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Mar 23 2009, 02:56 PM
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#115
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The Poet Dude Group: Moderator Posts: 5551 Joined: 15-March 04 From: Kendal, Cumbria, UK Member No.: 60 |
I have to be honest here, and no offense meant to the kids who submitted the shortlisted names - I bet they're all incredibly thrilled, and well done to them for taking the time and trouble to join in, but “Sunrise” is just a bit too hippy-huggy fake smile for me, and sounds like an orange juice or health drink; “Perception” sounds like something a cold, emotionless Vulcan would call a Mars rover, and “Curiosity” is a bit too timid-sounding, and is just screaming out to be tagged onto the word “killed” in newspaper headlines as soon as anything goes wrong…
 At the moment, I’m leaning towards, and torn between, “Amelia” and “Pursuit”. I like Amelia not because I have a friend called Amelia, and it would be fun to read about her trekking across Mars every day, but because 1) I’m also wondering if the name was submitted as a tribute to the famous aviator Amelia Earhart, which would be a very spooky coincidence because 2) I bought, from a charity shop the other day, a video of the STAR TREK: VOYAGER series which includes the episode “The 37’s” which features… Amelia Earhart! (cue X-Files music) No, I’m not joking; I really did buy a STAR TREK: VOYAGER video. I have a soft spot for that series, which I know puts me in a tiny minority of ST fans but… Anyway, back to the naming contest. As I said, I’m torn between “Amelia” and “Pursuit”. “Pursuit” is edging it right now because it just sounds, well, sexier somehow, more fitting for a rugged, exciting space mission. -------------------- |
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Mar 23 2009, 02:56 PM
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#116
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 593 Joined: 20-April 05 Member No.: 279 |
Out of that lot (and it's a remarkably bland list) "Amelia" is the only one that doesn't make me cringe too much. But MSL does not look like an Amelia. As my teachers would have written:
1/10. Very poor. Must try harder. Andy |
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Mar 23 2009, 02:59 PM
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#117
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The Poet Dude Group: Moderator Posts: 5551 Joined: 15-March 04 From: Kendal, Cumbria, UK Member No.: 60 |
I'm very conscious of the fact, however, that I wanted to throw a shoe through my computer monitor when I read what the MERs had been christened - they just seemed like the worst names in the world! - but somehow they've since "grown into" their names, and I now can't imagine them being called anything else...
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Mar 23 2009, 03:09 PM
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#118
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 Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2262 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Melbourne - Oz Member No.: 16 |
That's what I'm trying to tell myself as well Stu.
I'm sure whatever is chosen will seem right in few years. But right now I'm struggling to decide which is the least worst. -------------------- |
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Mar 23 2009, 03:16 PM
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#119
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2511 Joined: 13-September 05 Member No.: 497 |
QUOTE (Stu @ Mar 23 2009, 07:56 AM)  I’m also wondering if the name was submitted as a tribute to the famous aviator Amelia Earhart... I assume it was, and I wonder about the utter tone-deafness of choosing the name of a person whose main claim to fame is her mysterious disappearance. I'm stunned at the awfulness of all of these candidates. (For calibration purposes, recall I was also underwhelmed by Spirit and Opportunity, though I see people using them with a straight face every day so they must work at some level.) -------------------- Disclaimer: This post is based on public information only. Any opinions are my own.
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Mar 23 2009, 03:20 PM
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#120
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Special Cookie Group: Members Posts: 2168 Joined: 6-April 05 From: Sintra | Portugal Member No.: 228 |
As more as I look at them the worst the choices look to me...
 Besides what Stu wrote about curiosity...Wonder?!? Without wanting to hurt anyone's sensibility...Stevie...anyone?... -------------------- "Ride, boldly ride," The shade replied, "If you seek for Eldorado!"
Edgar Alan Poe |
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