What to name ULA's next-gen rocket?

[StrandedonEarth]

Apparently ULA is seeking public input on that to name their next-generation launcher. Out of the choices presented, Eagle is the only one worthy, but even that sounds like too much of a Falcon rip-off. Besides, it would take away from the immortal words, "The Eagle has landed." One of the suggestions in the comments is Thunderbird, which I quite like and would be very appropriate. But I have to think that "Delta-V" would be a very punny name for a rocket, but maybe that's why they wanted to stay away from that.

Any other suggestions?

[Jovus]

Given that this is sort of replacing the Delta 4, I have to agree with you. Delta V is too good to pass up.

[Frozen_Heart]

I'd love it to be called Delta 5

[Bill Phil]

Merging the two lines?

Atlas-Delta

Atlas - Delta

At las - Del ta

Either Atta or Lasdel.... Dellas or AltDel.... Atla?

Atlas-Delta I?

Gamma. No. Omega. Nah...Tau.

[Armchair Rocket Scientist]

Dear god, ULA. Fire your PR department for coming up with those names.

Eagle: A generic "Ha ha 'Murica Freedom and Fireworks and Beer!" name which also happens to be too similar to Falcon."

Freedom: Could you GET any more cliched?

GalaxyOne: And this one sounds too much like SpaceshipOne.

Now, somebody suggested "Vulcan," which is (a) from Greco-Roman mythology just like a lot of ULA's names e.g. Atlas, Centaur... but is also a Star Trek reference, which would be a great counterpart to "Falcon" without being too obvious.

Also, how the hell did Delta V NOT make the final round?

[Scotius]

Meh. All options are...meh. What's wrong with Delta V? Or Epsilon I?

[Pipcard]

Meh. All options are...meh. What's wrong with Delta V? Or Epsilon I?

People learning the basics of astronautics will get confused (unless written as Delta 5), and the latter is the name of a Japanese solid-fuel launch vehicle.

Maybe they should call it Atlas VI (image source).

Edited March 26, 2015 by Pipcard

[Voidryder]

I vote "Bob". Nice sounding name. I can already hear the ULA's media person saying at ignition "And we're just launched Bob, ULA's next generation of rockets!" Cool, right?

I'll let myself out now.

[StrandedonEarth]

Ooooooh.... Better yet, name it Jebediah.

Or, continuing with the planet theme of the Jupiter and Saturn rockets, they could call it Uranus. Nah, there'd be too many complaints about pouring money into a black hole. Neptune might suggest it's going down. Hmmm.... Pluto? Mickey? Well, it is ULA, maybe.... Goofy?

Maybe Pfizer would allow them to name it the Viagra 2! Free advertising!

[Tommygun]

I'd go with Prometheus. It stays with the Greek theme and has a fire related story.

[Kibble]

The third option would be okay if it was styled as Galaxy I, like every other rocket. Then they can make Galaxy II.

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

How about: Hermes I?

[Pipcard]

How about: Hermes I?

"Hermes" tends to remind me of a cancelled European space shuttle.

Edited March 26, 2015 by Pipcard

[Leszek]

Well it is America after all the choice should be obvious.

Name the rocket mcDonalds and get some advertising revenue.

[Daze]

Atlas-X or Delta-X

[lajoswinkler]

Eagle, Freedom or GalaxyOne... Who came up with these names?

[Yukon0009]

How about Kron?

[Kryten]

Voting is going on inside ULA for a couple of additional names. So far are 'Zeus' and 'Vulcan'.

[Albert VDS]

The most silly option is "Freedom". I mean why? Is it a free compared to all the other enslaved rockets?

Eagle is a no go because of it's named linked to the Apollo 11 LEM. Why call your "generic looking" rocket that?

GalaxyOne? I have no idea..

[Pipcard]

The Vulcan and Zeus options are now available for voting

[kStrout]

I would suggest and vote for names, but all my rockets are called "medium lifting rocket 3" or similar.

[xenomorph555]

The Vulcan and Zeus options are now available for voting

I would go with Zeus, there is only one Vulcan...

[Tiberion]

Please go vote for Zeus or Vulcan. Vote early vote often

Vulcan is interesting because its Leonard Nimoy's birthday, and of course we recently lost him. May the power of social media be used for good, just this one time.

xenomorph: paper rockets don't get to keep their names.

[Pipcard]

Zeus is a more fitting name for a super-heavy lift rocket (>100 metric tons)

Although I said Hermes reminded me of the cancelled European shuttle, I would prefer Vulcan despite it being the name of a Russian rocket concept.

edit: I just realized the Ariane 5 first stage engine is called Vulcain

Edited March 26, 2015 by Pipcard

[Kryten]

Vulcan is a good name, it deserves to adorn a real rocket. Zeus is a bit weird due to the previous Jupiter missile; I'm pretty sure those are identical names in a lot of non-romance languages.