back to article LOHAN seeks stirring motto for spaceplane mission patch

The Low Orbit Helium Assisted Navigator (LOHAN) team has decided that in the best tradition of space endeavour, our audacious Vulture 2 spaceplane mission needs a proper embroidered patch so that we may reach for the heavens in style. In fact, having something to sew on your flight suit/lab coat is pretty well obligatory, and …

  1. Pete 2 Silver badge

    Sound advice for a scary mission

    > a stirring motto à la "Audentes fortuna adiuvat".

    Well, since it's got to be in Latin, just so's it sounds impressive (all Latin stuff sounds impressive until you translate it), then I would humbly submit

    Semper ubi sub ubi

    as any fule kno

    1. NumptyScrub

      Re: Sound advice for a scary mission

      Courtesy of online translators ^^;

      Si non faciat, cum malleo percute.

      1. A Twig

        Re: Sound advice for a scary mission

        My Latin is very rusty, but perhaps better parsed as:

        Si non operando est, cum malleo percute.

        Definitely agree with the sentiment and idea though, upvote ahoy!

    2. NoneSuch Silver badge

      Re: Sound advice for a scary mission

      "ad astra apud cervisias et lardum"

      To the stars with a beer and bacon

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sounds like it's time for Ariadne to get her box of felt pens out.

    Let's hope with the passing of time she hasn't lost her artistic bent.

  3. Nigel Crockford

    How about....

    Per Ardua Ad Nauseam.

    Just seems right on so many levels.

    1. Anonymous Custard
      Pint

      Re: How about....

      Or given certain balloon propensities, more like

      Per Ardua Ad Arbor

      ("through adversity to the tree")

      1. Lester Haines (Written by Reg staff) Gold badge

        Re: Re: How about....

        Per cervisiam ad astra. Speaking of which...

        1. Anonymous Custard
          Pint

          Re: How about....

          Shouldn't that have been the motto of the London Pride mob?

          1. Lester Haines (Written by Reg staff) Gold badge

            Re: Re: How about....

            Indeed, yes it should.

  4. Ben Bonsall

    Nam Craic!

    Because LOHAN will do anything etc etc.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Illegitimi non est carborundum "

    or 'don't let the bastards grind you down' (It's all I remember from latin classes at school)

  6. Hugh Pumphrey

    In spaaace ...

    In vacuo nemo clamorem audit

    1. Ralph B

      Re: In spaaace ...

      I was thinking somewhat along those lines too: "Colei canis in aere" or "The dog's bollocks in the air".

      But "Colei canis in vacuo" could work too.

  7. Scuby

    Altius nititur Columbias optimus!

  8. TRT Silver badge

    Reaching for the heavens in style.

    Pervenientes usque pro stilo cælos in

  9. JonP

    (via google translate rather than any proficiency in Latin whatsoever...)

    Da Da Per Forcipem

    (Give Me The Pliers)

    1. Ugotta B. Kiddingme

      or go full-on Firesign Theater

      Non ut illum Pumilio, da da per forcipem

  10. TRT Silver badge

    Because...

    Defectus non est optio

  11. Isendel Steel

    To the upper atmosphere and back ?

    et reversus est ad aethera

  12. SpeakerToAliens
    Coat

    Closest I could get using Google Translate

    Omnes vacuums hereditatem datæ sunt nobis

    (All your space are belong to us)

  13. Andy E

    Something with substance

    Ne obliviscaris legis meae et medication

  14. breakfast Silver badge

    Cesarian suggestion

    Veni vici ballocketi

  15. disgruntled yank

    not Latin

    But how about "Helium Heads to Greater Heights"? Or is the expression "helium head" only an Americanism?

  16. Lobrau

    Google Translate a go-go

    Ferrum faciem Dei

    (Punch the face of God)

  17. Ugotta B. Kiddingme

    still more quasi-latin

    Quid infernum, ne?

    (Why the hell not?)

  18. Woza

    A motto, courtesy of Pratchett

    Sodomy Non Sapiens - or, as the playmonaut might say: Morituri Nolumus Mori

    (Also, for inspiration on mission patches: bit.ly/1oWFDOJ)

  19. Charlie_Manson

    How about

    sed usque non sunt ​​et nos

    'Are we there yet'

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
      Happy

      surely there should be a grep and an awk in there too...

  20. Don Jefe

    Getting High - In Space

    Getting High - In Space

  21. 's water music

    per ardua ad carlton

    using google translate seemed like cheating so how about:

    Metella est mater. Metella in horto est.

    1. Thecowking

      Re: per ardua ad carlton

      In that vein:

      Playmonaut est in astra, playmonaut asphyxiat.

  22. We're with Steve

    faster higher cheaper

    superioribus vilius pretium

  23. Christoph

    Ad eundum quo nemo ante iit (To boldly go)

    But after all that work, it might turn out to be:

    Parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus

  24. Chris G

    Vulture Volans Alte

  25. Come to the Dark Side

    Simples....

    Vultur ad astra

  26. JimW

    Another reaching the heavens variation

    Tactis caelos a domus publici

    (Reaching the heavens from the public house)

  27. Ralph the Wonder Llama

    What's this, then?

    Romanes eunt domus?

  28. Rob Carriere

    To Boldly Fly where Mighty Orbs Go Bust.

    1. Anonymous Custard

      Only if we have a Bulgarian Playmonaut(ess)

  29. Chris Hance

    Ex horreum, fugam.

    (From the shed [/barn], flight.)

  30. Bassey

    Quod in nobis est...

    Because we can...

  31. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    in infinitum, et ultra

    to infinity and beyond

  32. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Penetrate everything that matters"

  33. VinceH

    Surge, inquit, et recesserunt a te - Up, up and away!

    Id quod factum est, quo nunc ad proximum vectis - That's that done, now where's the nearest bar?

    Nunc demum in mare, non quasi ultimum playmonaut! - I hope I don't end up in the sea, like the last playmonaut!

    Tutum certo habes? - Are you sure this is safe?

  34. The Sod Particle
    Pint

    hinc videt diversorium

    I can see the pub from here!

    or maybe

    taberna hinc video

    says it better

  35. joeW

    In the spirit of Fortune Favours The Brave

    I suggest (courtesy of Google Translate of course) "Inspiration favet taberna"

    "Inspiration Favours The Pub"

  36. ukgnome

    In honour of spaced

    T.F.U

  37. chuBb.

    Nevermind the ballockets

  38. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

    Per pigritiam ad planetas

    Why does Google translate always pick one of the other meanings of a word when I translate back to English to check?

  39. Professor Clifton Shallot

    Given NASA's motto, how about "For the benefit of ale." ?

  40. topcav

    per igne et vesica, ad astra

    (by fire and bladder, to the stars)

  41. Come to the Dark Side

    Caelestium Orbis de LOHAN

  42. Plastic Trog

    Explorandum cum globi

  43. unhairy_biker

    LOHAN

    praecesserunt ascendentem ubi multos

    (Going up where many men have gone before)

  44. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

    A couple of entries in my sig file seem appropriate today

    Cogito nimis ergo demens sum.

    Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes.

  45. TRT Silver badge

    Good luck, anyway.

    Digitis transierunt

    or

    Dedos cruzados

  46. DJO Silver badge

    ad astra et ad taverna

    (To the stars and the pub)

  47. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Invert the lower words...

    ... or are you aiming for a logo that can be half-read in any direction? Vulture 1 got the words in the right direction.

    And I am cheating on the Latin: NON DVCOR DVCO. Something as "I'm not guided, I lead." Google showed a interesting variation as I typed: NON DUCOR DCO, which means "Not lead to God" which brings a whole double-meaning, maybe triple-meaning there. Have fun with those suggestions.

  48. Sir Sham Cad

    In bacon, victory

    victoriam in lardum

    Or, more philosophically, from Mr P. Floyd:

    Gyrum caeli non possint ab oculis meis

  49. Jim 59

    screw up and move on

  50. andreas koch
    Happy

    Should be obvious:

    Mordens Manus Pascens (Informatica)

    Seeing that I'm not a Latinian, efforts to clean up the grammar are greatly appreciated.

  51. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

    One more for the pot

    LOHAN, Nulli Secundus

  52. Anonymous Coward
    Go

    Some thoughtful(?) submissions from marketing...

    1). Whatever the Latin is for "Too much wine on our hands"

    2) A creepy U.S. National Reconnaisance Office-style patch showing the El Reg vulture with the Earth in its talons and a motto of "Now, what's for lunch?"

    3) Caricature Lindsay Lohan astride the El Reg vulture (ala Heavy Metal) with a caption of "Going my way, boys?"

    1. Peter Simpson 1
      Paris Hilton

      Re: Some thoughtful(?) submissions from marketing...

      Caricature Lindsay Lohan astride the El Reg vulture (ala Heavy Metal) with a caption of "Going my way, boys?"

      Nose art?

  53. Chimp

    It can only be...

    ... meum est a puncto

  54. RocketGuy

    "Re vera, potas bene." : "Say, you sure are drinking a lot."

    "Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.": "Whatever is said in Latin sounds profound."

  55. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Obvious really

    DON'T... LOOK... DOWN!

  56. Pypes

    de ebrietate, ingenium

    I stuck in "from inebriation, ingenuity" and got back "of beer, talent"

    both are fine by me

  57. DropBear

    Oooh, oooh, I got it!

    "Homines plasticae ad astra iactare" (or whatever the proper form of "tossing plastic men at stars" would be, optionally further qualified with "boldly"...)

    ...oh, and for runner-up: latin for "always check the bloody fuse"... ;)

  58. Alan Esworthy
    Paris Hilton

    Yo-yo

    Lohan ascendit, tunc descendit.

    (Lohan goes up, then goes down. Nicely ambiguous, if I do say so myself.)

    1. Smitty Werbenjaegermanjensen

      Re: Yo-yo

      I think perfect if it could be LOHAN gets high then goes down...

  59. Snivelling Wretch

    To paraphrase the RAF...

    ...and add a somewhat literal translation:

    per ardua ad domus publicus

    1. Francis Boyle Silver badge

      or maybe

      Per ardua add alcohol.

  60. Alan Esworthy
    Pint

    High

    Volo ut altum.

    (I want to get high.)

  61. emmanuel goldstein

    lohan knows...

    "the higher, the better."

  62. toxicdragon

    Ab Hoc Possum Videre Domum Tuum

  63. Dr. G. Freeman

    Visa tum utilem.

    (this seemed like a good idea at the time.)

  64. cracked

    Better At Rockets Than At Patches

  65. Tempest8008

    Crap, I went and made a whole patch, not just a motto:

    http://i57.tinypic.com/20uqpp1.png

    But my motto suggestion would be "The shed knows no bounds"

    Latinized (according to the Chocolate Factory): Tugurio terminum nescit

  66. Stoke the atom furnaces

    If "Quam celerrime ad astra", or "speedily to the stars" is good enough for the Chilean Airforce, then it is good enough for anyone.

  67. Gotno iShit Wantno iShit

    If at first you don't succeed use a bigger hammer.

    si non prius succederent uti malleum majorem

  68. nsld

    Given the mission

    "Ego ex officio" - "I am out of the office" according to the oompa loompas

  69. Pet Peeve

    ad astra cum ceruisia

    "to the stars, with beer".

    Edit: Rats, ninjaed by Lester himself. I think it's pretty dang good though.

  70. Farmer Fred
    Coat

    Veni, vidi, edi arvina

    Or

    Veni, vidi, bibit cervisiam

    Ego me tunica...

  71. Fungus Bob

    Because some people play tennis

  72. Pet Peeve

    I just thought of a great motto, major geek points if anyone gets the reference:

    Audacter ire ubi angeli ut ambularetis verentur

    You have to let it sink in a bit after translating it to get what's being implied.

  73. Chris G

    Bugger the latin

    LOHAN

    Getting it up and going faster!

    LOHAN

    Attitude, Altitude, Fortitude

  74. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    In reference to mascot...

    "Lutum In Caelo"

    Scavenger of the Skies

  75. evs

    In æternum non obliviscar

    Never Forget

  76. Alan Esworthy
    Pint

    Here, here!

    Hic, hic!

  77. Long John Brass

    B5 Ref

    Ugly, but well hung

  78. willi0000000

    don't care as much as some about the mission patch . . . as long as the post-mission patch doesn't say "damn, i thought YOU checked that" or "OOPS"

    best wishes for a safe, successful flight and an easy (and nearby) landing.

  79. This post has been deleted by its author

  80. cordwainer 1

    Ballockets Ad Parietem - or if it must be Latin only...

    Aerostati Ad Parietem (literally "balloons to the wall")

    or (the only usable attempt to create a Latin portmanteau word):

    Pilacendii Ad Parietem

    combining "pila" (ball - also a possible translation of balloon per several sources) with the plural of "incendium" (an incendiary missile).

    Of course, while I intended pilacendii to be equivalent to ballocket, it probably is closer to "flaming flying balls", which might make even a brave Playmonaut pilot uncomfortable.

    The most common translations of "balloon" were "aerostatum" (airship, hot-air balloon) and "vesica" (balloon or bladder, but not necessarily something intended to rise). I found no good translation of "rocket" except as salad. "Rucheta" appears related to architecture or surveying, and Google's "fusce" is apparently wrong, even according to Google when re-translated to English.

    Someone who actually knows Latin could probably do better, and is likely snickering at my ignorance... 8-}

    .

  81. cordwainer 1

    Or just the classic....

    Pilas Ad Parietem

    if simplicity is preferred

    1. Lester Haines (Written by Reg staff) Gold badge

      Re: Or just the classic....

      Pilae Ad Parietem? We're going to need a Latin expert to check all these mottos.

      1. cordwainer 1

        Re: Or just the classic....

        Duh - I should know better than to use Google's translation. Thanks for the correction (written while slapping self)

  82. pc
    Happy

    Keeping the Latin theme..

    Surge, et revertamur iterum - bene quam dicere!

  83. This post has been deleted by its author

  84. Dr Patrick J R Harkin

    LOHANES EUNT DOMUS

    People called Lohan, they go to the house.

    or

    SPATIA INTER AURES - Space is in our minds (literally Space Between the Ears)

  85. Androgynous Cupboard Silver badge

    Vino, Vultur, Vacuum

  86. Peter Simpson 1

    Hmmm....

    It appears there may be an off (*very* off!) chance of having the lovely lady herself at the launch.

    She'll be in the area this year:

    http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-28271691

  87. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Cujus vulturis hoc erit cadaver?

    To which vulture shall this carcass fall?

  88. Mud5hark

    Et anatis cum tape XL WD

    With Duck Tape and WD 40

    Sums it up nicely.

    1. Mud5hark

      In anas luctus et WD XL is an alternative.

  89. Irony Deficient

    some suggestions

    Lester, regarding the first raw effort at the patch, in my view there isn’t enough contrast between the selected shades of red and blue; either a darker shade of blue, or thin white dividing lines at the red/blue borders, would help. I don’t know if most of the patch’s stars were randomly placed or not, but in honour of the SPB I’d suggest using the pattern of the Teapot asterism in Sagittarius, perhaps with τ Sagittarii as the star located between between the r of Navigator and the L of Low.

    On the topic of a stirring motto, I’ll offer two possibilities:

    • Profectus per evectionem
    • Cursus Liber citat

    Both were kept brief, in case the motto would be going on the patch. The first is a straightforward, no-nonsense message; the second has multiple possible meanings, some cheekier than others, depending upon which definitions of the verb and object are chosen. English translations are intentionally left as exercises for the reader, particularly since a certain online service offers translations (in these cases) with eelful-hovercraft levels of accuracy.

    1. Faceless Man

      Re: some suggestions

      Your comment proposes another motto:

      Meum est hovercraft anguillarum

      Appropriately enough, taken from said online translation service. So probably wrong.

      1. Irony Deficient

        Re: some suggestions

        Faceless Man, at least it got two of the words correctly conjugated/declined that time. My own translation of that would be Navis volitans mea plena anguillarum est, but I wouldn’t propose that as a motto — LOHAN deserves better.

  90. Vinyl-Junkie

    Rocket man?

    Ego sum non Playmonaut et reputo ego sum procul totus

    (I'm not the Playmonaut they think I am at all)

  91. Random Q Hacker

    "Bearing down on the future"

    "Putting out for humanity"

    "Getting high for science"

  92. A K Stiles

    Courtesy of Google translate...

    CDIV Distributorii erratum

  93. CmdrX3

    I thought this might be appropriate... Pub O'Clock

    Et cum inebriatum volumus succedunt

    .... I know not a jot of Latin, so if Google Translate doesn't either, I'm fucked

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