Stephen Colbert recently took some time out from his busy schedule of politicking to film this public service announcement on behalf of NASA:

So what do you say? NASA is a noble enough cause, right? Visit www.nasa.gov if you agree and give 'em a few space bucks. Astronauts just want to live normal lives like everyone else, except in outer space.

The Colbert Report airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30/10:30c.

On last night's Colbert Report, Stephen alerted viewers to the fact that a defunct NASA satellite is hurtling toward Earth and will make landfall sometime today or tomorrow. It sounds scary, but it's important to maintain a reasoned and level head about this. After all, panicking is exactly what the Moon goblins who threw the satellite at the Earth want us to do.

The Colbert Report airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30/10:30c.

On last night's Colbert Report, Stephen commemorated the end of the NASA shuttle program by presenting a montage of the space agency's greatest moments and interviewing the crew of the last shuttle mission. To really get the full astronaut experience, I recommend watching these videos while wearing a catheter.

Stephen's interview with the Atlantis astronauts can be found below.

The Colbert Report airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30/10:30c.

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Science: a world of goggles, rocket ships and emergency showers. You know, science. Jon Stewart talked about this field shrouded in mystery with frequent Daily Show guest and renowned astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson. This time the tables were turned (via advanced orbit technology) as Stewart played guest on Tyson's StarTalk Radio. Some of Jon's highlights:

On his favorite element:
"I'm a huge carbon guy. I enjoy the molecular slut of the table of elements. It will bond with anything. It's ridiculous. And by the way, four bonds."

On why he thinks Health and Medicine are the top scientific issues:
"As a registered hypochondriac with the Hypochondriacs' Institute of Hypochondriacs, we have no meetings because everyone's afraid to shake hands at the beginning of it."

On what people will pay scientists to do:
"Here's what people want: They want old people to be able to no longer be impotent. That's the science… that's highest priority of anything."

"Many scientists are just trying to figure out a way to help Marlboro sell a cigarette they can bill as a vegetable."

On going to the moon:
"The achievement in itself became overshadowed by the lack of knowledge of what to do once we got there. If ten years after landing on the moon the best we could do is hit a golf ball and be like, 'man that thing flies…'"

On the idea that we are molecularly connected to all matter in the Universe:
"That's crazy. You know what that reminds me of? Snapple. Just good ingredients. Good natural ingredients put together to taste delicious"

Listen to the whole interview below, then watch Neil deGrasse Tyson drop some knowledge on The Daily Show after the jump.

The Daily Show airs Monday through Thursday at 11/10c.

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Last week, Stephen Colbert did an episode of The Colbert Report sick with the flu, which just shows what a pro he is. I called in sick last Friday with an ice cream headache. But it wasn't the first time vomit played a role on The Report. No, the show has a long and bilious history with barf. So, in honor of Stephen, his enviable work ethic and his ability to convincingly dry heave on cue, we present this collection of regurgitated clips.

Stephen Is Sick

The list continues below.

The Colbert Report airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30pm / 10:30c.

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On last night's Colbert Report, Stephen finished his astronaut training at the Johnson Space Center and got to take a simulated flight on a simulated shuttle into simulated orbit. As I understand it, this is the exact same equipment used by the Apollo crew when they faked the moon landing.

The Colbert Report airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30pm / 10:30c.

A lot of people complain that we spend too much money on NASA, but when you really look at the numbers, the budget for space exploration is just a fraction of our defense budget. And without NASA, we won't find any aliens to attack, and all that defense spending will go to waste. Stephen Colbert knows what I'm talking about. He's reporting from the Johnson Space Center this week and last night went through rigorous astronaut training.

If you missed the first segment in this series, you can watch it below.

The Colbert Report airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30pm / 10:30c.

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Astronauts! Hurray! Everybody loves astronauts, right? I mean, I think it's a law or something, isn't it? Or maybe it's not a law because what would be the point of going to all the trouble of writing it down in the law books, because it's just so unnecessary because who possibly wouldn't love astronauts to begin with. It's like, they never bothered to make a law against falling up when you jump out of a window, did they? Because it's just the way the universe works. People fall down and not up, and people love astronauts not not hate them. Of course, if you did fall up, you probably fall all the way into the sky and wind up in the exosphere, and then you'd kind of be an astronaut. And then everybody would love you, because astronauts are the best! (Don't do that, though. I have a feeling it won't work the way you're hoping it will.)

Anyway, here's Stephen talking to some astronauts who you will love…

The Colbert Report airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30pm / 10:30c.

When I was a kid, I thought for sure by the time I was in my 30s, we'd all be taking space cruises and living in colonies on The Moon and Mars. Fortunately, the technology people chose to focus their efforts on more pragmatic things like providing access to a virtually limitless free on-demand hardcore pornography. Still, a few of us haven't forgotten about space, like Stephen Colbert.

Space Madness

More videos can be found below.

The Colbert Report airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30pm / 10:30c.

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From Indecision…

Last week, Stephen Colbert criticized President Obama's decision to end NASA's manned space missions. Well, yesterday Obama capitulated and announced his commitment to manned space exploration. Though, with all due respect to Stephen, I think this has less to do with his outcry than it does with Obama wanting to get as far away from the Tea Partiers as possible. In space, no one can hear you scream calls you a Muslim Communist.

The Colbert Report airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30pm / 10:30c.