NASA named the new living quarters aboard the International Space Station “Tranquility” and did not fulfill the hopes of comedian Stephen Colbert to get his name some NASA shininess. Colbert attempted the get the new living quarters named after him after an online poll conducted by NASA favored him to do so.

 

It would have been a small step for NASA and a giant leap for Mr. Colbert, but it wasn’t to be. NASA denied the request, but did offer to make a new Combined Operational Load-Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT), which is a very important element in the ISS. 

 

"Your name will be in space in a very important place," said Astronaut Sunita Williams told Colbert while appearing on his TV show. "Everyday somebody will have to jump on the COLBERT," she said.

 

Tranquility was the eighth most popular name in the space agency-conducted pole. The other names that made it in the top were Serenity, Legacy, Earthrise and Venture. 

 

"By running on the treadmill that is what powers the Space Station?" asked Colbert, but he was disappointed to find out that “not really.” 

 

The poll was part of a NASA’s strategy of reaching to the public and asking its opinion on the name that should be given to the new living quarters aboard the ISS. Stephen Colbert waged a campaign and asked the fans of his comedy TV show to vote suggest his name to NASA. He eventually won 230,539 votes, considerably more that the 40,000 Serenity earned.