This article is within the scope of WikiProject Lists, an attempt to structure and organize all list pages on Wikipedia. If you wish to help, please visit the project page, where you can join the project and/or contribute to the discussion.ListsWikipedia:WikiProject ListsTemplate:WikiProject ListsList articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Spaceflight, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of spaceflight on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.SpaceflightWikipedia:WikiProject SpaceflightTemplate:WikiProject Spaceflightspaceflight articles
The article was recently moved from "List of space shuttle crews" to "List of Space Shuttle crews" with the summary "Space Shuttle is always capitalized". This is incorrect. (See below) The shuttle is not a proper noun, nor is orbiter, unless they are used in conjunction with a specific, named orbiter, such as Space Shuttle Discovery (and NASA doesn't even always capitalize space shuttle then, but on Wikipedia, we do consider that a proper noun). Please refer to NASA's own shuttle page, which has the header image seen here: http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/133493main_openingtext2c.gif, and at the left, a "Fact" box, which this month has: "Mission STS-122 will be the eighth time space shuttle Atlantis has visited the International Space Station.", as well as NASA's technical documents, which do not capitalize orbiter, or or shuttle, here, NASA's recent recap of STS-120, here, along with the media, as seen from The Associated Press, Aviation Week, Space.com and CBS. It is a common misconception, but it is like saying that "sedan" is capitalized, or "hatchback", when referring to a car. If the car's name has "Sedan" in it, then it is capitalized, but when speaking of a generic sedan, it is not. I am requesting that the articles be returned to their original title, where they have been since creation in June. The same has been done for Space Shuttle thermal protection system, which I will request move back to its original name, as well as Space Shuttle missions table. The precedence for this naming on Wikipedia can be seen in the Featured List, List of space shuttle missions, which would not have been featured had it been named improperly, and the peer review of Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, which also concurs. "The article capitalizes "shuttle" in many places, I think incorrectly. Space shuttle isn't a proper noun so should be lower-case." Finally, I refer to Webster's dictionary definition, which does not capitalize it, and clarifies it is not a proper noun: [1] "Main Entry: space shuttle, function: noun, definition: A reusable spacecraft designed to transport people and cargo between earth and space." Confirmed by The American Heritage Dictionary: here. I did contact the editor who moved the article, but they did not reply to my query, and do not seem to be active. Ariel♥Gold11:45, 20 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Regardless of the quality of the above argument, the history of the article's title given is inaccurate. It was originally named Space Shuttle crews. The name was then changed to List of Space Shuttle crews. It has never been named List of space shuttle crews as can be seen by the absence of a redirect.
With regard to the argument itself, Space Shuttle is commonly seen in the press to refer to a specific space shuttle, NASA's Space Transportation System, as opposed to any other space shuttle, past, future, or fictional. With regard to the purpose of this article, it is intended to include only those people who have flown on NASA's STS Space Shuttle, not on any other shuttle that may be invented in the future. Lowercasing the name suggests a generic intent that is not there.
On NASA's mission page, both Space Shuttle and space shuttle are found -- the latter in main text, the former in headings and titles. As we are discussing a title, capitalized Space Shuttle would seem to be appropriate. RandomCritic (talk) 13:11, 20 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]
As to the move, yes, I actually pasted this from a copy from another article that was moved from lowercase to upper case, and had the summary "Space Shuttle is always capitalized". My apologies. I think consensus would need to be formed for standardization, The Associated Press does not capitalize it as a generic term, and it is indeed, when referring to a non-specific orbiter, a "generic" term. However, the one featured list, does not capitalize it, and neither does the featured article on the Challenger disaster. I think that this sets a precedence. Per WP:NAME, titles are not done in all capitalizations, but only proper nouns capitalized. It is just unprofessional to have a mix of some article titles without capitalization, and others with it, and the technical proper use would be to not capitalize it. Sorry for the initial confusion about the move, I've struck the comment. Ariel♥Gold05:59, 14 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]
