Update 9:00 PM – I added a link to the docking procedure run earlier this morning.
If you teach science, get on Twitter or Facebook and follow NASA. Now.
I know a ton of science happens here on the ground, but what I love about NASA is that they’ve embraced the fact that science can be shared with social media. They have one of the best online presences by an organization I’ve ever seen. They have Twitter accounts for most of their major missions, including the Voyager spacecraft (which are still operating, if you didn’t know).
They livestream most of their satellite launches so anyone can watch.
Heck, this afternoon, I watched a Russian supply probe dock with the ISS live. That was quickly followed up by a tweet from a Canadian astronaut on the space station.
Progress 50 just docked to our Space Station! I was right at the hatch, it made a quick sliding scraping noise & then a solid thud. Success!
—Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) February 11, 2013
Long story short, NASA is making science real for an audience that will (most likely) never get the chance to experience the work they do first-hand. I share it with my students. Maybe, one of them will see what science is all about and be inspired to begin a science career.
I want to go to space now.
NASA media of note
Voyager 1 – Twitter
Voyager 2 – Twitter
ISS Research – Twitter
Commander Hadfield, Canadian astronaut currently on six-month ISS mission. – Twitter
Curiosity Rover – Twitter
NASA TV – Archived footage of launches, ISS events, briefings, press conferences, etc. Also, includes links to NASA UStream page.