Live Band Performs Wake-Up Duties On Shuttle's Final Day In Orbit

For the first time, NASA astronauts aboard an orbiting spacecraft 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 0323 EST.

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.

FMI: www.nasa.gov