NASA Seeks Songwriters, Song Voters

Now this is a government contest: NASA is holding a competition for songwriters to submit original songs to be used as wakeup music for the astronauts on the last two space shuttle missions.

The space agency has a tradition, you see, of playing tunes to rouse astronauts to start their daily work. Usually, friends and family of crew members get to make the selections. There have been some great ones over the years: U2's "Beautiful Day," Rush's "Countdown," and Bruce Springsteen's "Rendezvous." Others are a little on the obvious side: Elton John's "Rocket Man" and the themes from "Star Trek" and "Star Wars." And some, like Metallica's "Enter Sandman," are just head-scratchers. (I guess still others didn't make the list at all because they might have raised some eyebrows--say, David Bowie's "Space Oddity" or the Byrds' "Eight Miles High.")

Of course, you may have different opinions. If so, you're in luck: NASA also is conducting a poll to pick the best songs played on the shuttle over the years. Cast your votes here.