After all the excitement surrounding the re-entry of NASA’s Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) last week, I thought this would be a fun topic.
Let’s say that a baby is about to be born aboard the International Space Station. People all over the globe are getting ready to celebrate the birth of mankind’s very first space-baby.
The baby’s astronaut-mom, who happens to be from an English-speaking nation, has generously agreed to let an Earthbound person do the naming. And that lucky Earthbound person is you.
What name do you select if the baby is a boy? How about a girl?
Do the names reflect the unique circumstances/significance of the birth? Why or why not?
Some inspiration:
- First baby born to a parent in orbit: Tarali
- First U.S. baby born on an airplane: Airlene
- First baby born on Antarctica: Emilio
- Various space-related names: Yuri, Mercury astronauts/Glenn, Apollo astronauts/Aldrin, Valentina, assorted astronaut and space-related names, Skylab, Christa
[Related: What would you name an 11-11-11 baby?]