(Viewed 1,217 times)

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Asteroid Named for LSU Chancellor Sean O'Keefe

I consider this quite devalueing the rest of the named asteroids...

LSU Chancellor Sean O'Keefe is now in the company of Jodie Foster, Sean Connery, Monty Python and Beethoven.

During a visit to LSU earlier this month, Charles Elachi, director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, announced that an asteroid had been named for O'Keefe, putting him on a list that includes the likes of Connery, Beethoven and the others. He also presented O'Keefe with a plaque signifying the official designation of Asteroid 78905 as Asteroid Seanokeefe.

The plaque contains a photograph of space that points out the asteroid's location, as well as an inscription that reads "Named in honor of Sean O'Keefe (b. 1956), for his vision and leadership in advancing the spirit of exploration during his tenure as the 10th NASA Administrator, 2001 - 2004."

Asteroid Seanokeefe was discovered on Sept. 16, 2003, by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking Project, or NEAT, using a telescope at Palomar Observatory near San Diego.

If you must read about it.... www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=18327

===========

It appears now that ANYONE can get a asteroid named after themselves.

At least they should name it, Asteroid O'keefe The Incompetent.

[Rocketman]

I like O'keefe. Columbia wasn't his fault. Griffin wont be (and isn't) any better, you'll see.


As for the old post to this thread, I have absolutley no idea what I meant now, I was obviously way, way, way out of my element.


C[]

Joe... you should have deleted my senseless follow up.... >

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Joe... you should have deleted my senseless follow up

Grady,

I usually do not delete posts here unless they are of an attacking/degrading/obscene nature to fellow members. I leave practically all here as a testament to the posters mind set, and let the reader decide on the merits. I will delete a post if requested, but the poster has the easy option to remove their own posts as well.

But...

I still believe that O'keefe was incompetent, and although Columbia wasn't his fault, (Never blamed him), the decision to scuttle the Hubble certainly was his - disregarding the outcry from the astronomical community.

Frankly, I think he set back the space program.