By Captain Pyke | August 24, 2010 - 10:29 pm

As we draw closer to the end of the shuttle program, we are really closing a chapter on American space flight. From the first missions of the Mercury program and it's seven brave astronauts, through Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, & the Shuttle missions that have spanned the last 29 years, NASA has been making headlong strides toward a better future. Not only for Americans, but the world as a whole. Star Trek & Gene Roddenberry have played a very important role in the modern day space program.. Most notably, being the inspiration for generations of Astronauts to boldly go where no one has gone before. In fact, Deforest Kelley & Nichelle Nichols took on roles as astronaut recruiters for NASA in the mid-70s and the very first Space Shuttle Orbiter was named "Enterprise" thanks to a Trek fan write-in campaign.

As the Shuttle program comes to a close, NASA has left it in the hands of the average-Joe to choose the final song used to wake the crew of STS-133 and... the theme to The Original Series by Alexander Courage has made the list! Here's our chance as Trek fans to secure the connection between "Star Trek" and NASA's Shuttle Program.

According to NASA's website, the two songs with the most votes will be announced during the mission. Updates of the exact dates and times that the winning songs will be played will be provided as the launch of the mission draws closer. STS-133 is currently scheduled to launch on November 1, 2010.

I mean, how fitting would it be to have both, the first Shuttle Orbiter named after our fair lady "Enterprise" and then to have the TOS theme as the final wakeup song on one of the last STS missions.. Imagine, the perfect book ends to an amazing ride.

As Trek fans, we have to "Make it so!"

Here's your chance, VOTE NOW! & vote often.

** UPDATE **

Looks like the TOS Theme is falling behind Rush's "Countdown". We have to win! Vote! Vote! Vote!