NASA Hosts STS-133 Song Contest Winner Live In Mission Control
HOUSTON -- For the first time, NASA astronauts aboard an orbitingspacecraft were awakened by a live performance from Mission Control,
as Todd Park Mohr and three other members of Big Head Todd and the
Monsters performed "Blue Sky" live at 2:23 a.m. CST.
The live performance was broadcast to space shuttle Discovery
Commander Steve Lindsey and the other five crew members, as they
orbited 220 miles above the southern tip of South America. The song
started the crew's last full day in space after spending eight days
in joint operations, with the shuttle docked to the International
Space Station. Discovery's landing is scheduled for 10:57 a.m. CST
Wednesday, March 9, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
"Blue Sky" was written by the band as a tribute for Discovery's return
to flight mission (STS-114) in 2005. The song received the most votes
in NASA's "Top 40 song contest." The top two songs were played as
wakeup music for the shuttle crew.
Receiving 722,662 votes (29 percent), "Blue Sky" outdistanced the
"Theme from Star Trek." The theme received 671,133 votes (27 percent)
and was played to wake the crew Monday morning with a special
introduction by William Shatner, the actor who played Captain James T. Kirk.
After the performance, Mohr briefly talked with Lindsey.
"Well, that was terrific, we really appreciate it and congratulations
on winning the contest," Lindsey said.
"On behalf of Big Head Todd and the Monsters and songwriters and
artists everywhere, we just want to thank you so much for your
courage, your bravery and your effort in just giving all of us a
better shot at knowing more," Mohr told Lindsey and the crew. "It's
very inspirational to the arts as well."
"We all wish you could see what we can see when we look out at the
Earth; and hopefully, everybody will be able to do that one of these
days. Hopefully sooner rather than later," Lindsey replied.
To watch the group play "Blue Sky" for Discovery's crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/
For information about the Discovery song contest and the Original Song
Contest for STS-134, visit:
https://songcontest.nasa.gov
For information about the Space Shuttle Program, the STS-133 mission
and to view pictures and video from the wakeup performance, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
For more information about the International Space Station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
Source: NASA
