NASA May Be Stuck with Colbert Space Crapper

Colbert Nation may have successfully launched their hero into outer space.

NASA recently held an online contest to name Node 3 on the International Space Station. While the top vote-getter of the agency’s four suggestions was "Serenity" — a nod to Joss Whedon, I’d like to think — write-in selection "Colbert" beat it out by 40,000 votes, with a count of 230,539. A total of 1.2 million votes were cast.

Just what is this node that might bear Colbert’s name? According to NASA’s website, it includes such features as the Oxygen Generation System, Atmosphere Revitalization System, Water Recovery System and, most importantly, a waste and hygiene compartment, which could be more colloquially refered to as "The Colbert Space Crapper."

A NASA spokesman said the agency reserves the right to make the final decision, so Colbert Nation may not get its way in the end. The contest says the winning selection "should reflect the spirit of exploration and cooperation embodied by the space station."

Nodes 1 and 2 are named "Unity" and "Harmony." NASA’s other candidates for Node 3 were "Legacy," "Earthrise" and "Venture."