Reported by Scott Harris
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER -- The buzz over Twitter continues to spread as NASA continues to use the social media technology more and more with each mission.
For the last few missions, NASA has been using Twitter to get more people involved in space.
NASA has been behind a lot of firsts this year: The first astronaut to tweet, the first tweet sent from space, and the first astronaut “Tweetup.”
For this launch of shuttle Atlantis, it’s another NASA first: A two-day Tweetup at Kennedy Space Center, with 100 fans from across the country gathering to speak with shuttle technicians, engineers, astronauts and managers.
Our friends are at the Tweetup now! Follow along with them:
@SomaCow, @ELROSS,
@MrsELROSS, @SirKyle
@BN9NASA is Caitlin Kuleci Constantine from News 13’s Bright House Networks affiliate, Bay News 9!
» Read Her Blog on the Tweetup
FOLLOW THE NASA TWEETUP
» #NASATweetup: Follow the Conversation
» Watch the Tweetup LIVE on UStream
» Follow @NASATweetup
» See Who’s Attending
This NASA Tweetup extends two days, with a tour of the Kennedy Space Center Sunday, and a special view of the launch Monday.
“I’m excited that there are a lot of people who are twittering who are following this mission,” said STS-129 Astronaut Robert Satcher, who tweets as @Astro_Bones. “Also, for those who will be traveling to the cape, that’s very exciting, and I’m looking forward to it.”
Satcher said he will be tweeting throughout Atlantis’ mission.
“I think it’s exciting that this is generating more interest in space exploration, and interest in the last few missions of the shuttle -- which we hope aren’t the last few missions of the shuttle,” Satcher said.
Web Editor At Tweetup
A Web writer for CFNews13.com’s Bright House Networks affiliate, BayNews9.com, is excited to be one of the 100 lucky Twitter users attending the two-day Tweetup!
Reported by Caitlin Kuleci Constantine
Like many, I had dreams of being an astronaut as a child.
I could see myself in a big white spacesuit, bouncing on the surface of the moon like it was a gigantic trampoline and floating around in space doing -- whatever it was that astronauts did.
I had grand plans to be the first girl astronaut, until I learned that glass ceiling had already been shattered. So I decided I would be the first girl astronaut on the moon, but when I learned we weren't going to the moon any more, I settled on the life of a planetary astronomer.
But as I grew up, the reality of what such ambitions demanded set in. I slowly uncurled my fingers from my star-struck dreams and let them go. I sated myself with Carl Sagan books, “Star Trek: The Next Generation” episodes, and a trip to the Mauna Kea observatory in Hawaii. (Have I outed myself as a geek here?)
This weekend, though, I will get to live out my long-dormant childhood dream. I, along with 99 other lucky Twitter users, have been invited to spend two days at Kennedy Space Center as part of what’s known as a Tweetup.
The Tweetup includes a day of guest speakers, including astronaut Mike Massimino, journalist Miles O’Brien and shuttle technicians and engineers, along with a tour of Kennedy Space Center. The event will culminate in the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis, on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station.
Yes, that’s right -- a space shuttle launch. Or, more precisely, a SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH! (Can you tell I’m excited?)
NASA has held four Tweetups before, but this is the first that will allow people to watch a space shuttle launch in person. Anyone who has ever had the chance to see a space shuttle launch in person knows what a big deal this is.
The Tweetup is part of NASA’s effort to use social media to get people excited about the space shuttle program. The plan seems to be working, as the Tweetup is drawing people from 21 states and four countries, including Morocco and New Zealand, all of whom are at least as excited as I am about the Tweetup.
I plan to do my part to spread the excitement by live-tweeting at @bn9nasa and blogging over the course of the two days from Kennedy Space Center.
I’m also bringing a FlipCam, a digital camera and a laptop, so I can keep a steady stream of behind-the-scenes pictures and video coming back to the newsroom.
Share Your Shuttle Experience With News 13
Twitter is also a great way to interact with News 13 during shuttle missions. Let us know about launch traffic delays, the best spots to watch, and share your own launch pictures and video!
» Follow@CFNews13_Spaceand@CFNews13Now
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