In the Field: 5 Highlights

Take a guided tour of Stephen's most exciting out-of-studio experiences.

In the Field: 23 Outtakes

Find out what scenes didn't make it on the show by watching a selection of The Colbert Report's best un-aired moments.
 

Fallback Position: Astronaut

June 21, 2010



Job stability became a serious concern for many Americans in 2010, so serious that even Stephen Colbert feared for the future of his gig as political pundit. He headed to Houston, TX in June hoping to secure a back-up career as a certified NASA astronaut.


Stephen first sat down with Discovery shuttle Commander Steve Lindsey to discuss exactly what it takes to survive in space and determine if he has what it takes to succeed. After explaining the concept of shuttle bathrooms, Lindsey learns about Stephen's fear of heights, spastic colon and discomfort with following orders.







To ensure that he mastered all disciplines, Stephen followed his interview with an extensive space training session. In addition to floating in zero gravity, he ran on a space treadmill for 2.6 minutes, attempted simulated jet-pack training and test drove a Rover on "Mars."


Space treadmills weren't new to Stephen, as NASA had announced in May 2009 that its new cosmic treadmill is named after the comedian. Known as the Combined Operational Load-Bearing External Resistance Treadmill, the C.O.L.B.E.R.T. can handle the load of six crew members.



Before the NASA commanders could make their final assessment, Stephen had to complete one last test -- launching and landing a space shuttle.


Read MSNBC's coverage of Stephen's NASA training.


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