What's In a Name

Colonel Chris Hadfield gained international recognition as the first Canadian astronaut to walk in space. Now he and the Canadian Space Agency have a new rover that’s ready to explore Mars - but it’s not going anywhere until it has a name. Chris blasts off into the history of space vessels in order to find a name that will impress earthlings and extraterrestrials alike. Along the way he receives advice from celestial sages like Bob McDonald (CBC’s Quirks and Quarks) and celebrated science-fiction writer Robert Sawyer. This episode launches into history of space exploration by zeroing in on how vessels have been named, from the star struck (Enterprise) to the inspiring (Odyssey) to the uh, somewhat less than inspiring (BS). Launch into the outer reaches of space to explore a galaxy of fascinating names and learn how they came into being.