Wake up astronauts with your music: NASA

Songwriters and music lovers may have the chance to get their songs played in space.

NASA astronauts are traditionally awakened each morning by songs chosen by their friends and family.

But for the U.S. space agency's final two space shuttle missions in November and next February, it is inviting members of the public to vote on wake-up songs from both:

• A list of 40 previous wake-up songs, which range from Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf to Drops of Jupiter by Train.
• Space-themed original songs submitted by songwriters.

"Space shuttle crews really enjoy the morning wake-up music," said Mark Kelly, commander of NASA's final flight to the International Space Station, in a statement.

"While we don't have the best quality speaker in the space shuttle, it will be interesting to hear what the public comes up with. We are looking forward to it."

The top two previously played songs will wake up the crew on the space shuttle Discovery's final flight, scheduled for Nov. 1.

The original songs submitted to NASA by 4 p.m. CT on Jan. 10, 2011, will go to a panel of NASA officials, who will choose a list of finalists. The public will vote on those finalists, and the top two will wake up Kelly and his crew.

Kelly's crew is set to launch Feb. 26, 2011, aboard the space shuttle Endeavour.