STS-135 NASA TweetUp at NASA HQ

On Thursday, October 13th, I had the privilege of participating in a NASA TweetUp. The TweetUp was held at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. This was a gathering of 150 Twitter followers of @NASATweetUp and STS-135 CMDR Chris Ferguson (@Astro_Ferg) and MS1 Sandy Magnus (@Astro_Sandy). Organized by Stephanie Schierholtz (@Schierholz) NASA's Social Media Director, the attendees represented 25 different states, Germany, India, Canada, and Australia.

Stephanie Schierholz opens the TweetUp

Upon entering NASA HQ, Stephanie was there to greet each attendee in person and presented each of us with our official NASA "swag bags" containing an assortment of NASA and STS-135 momentos. My personal favorites: The Space Shuttle 30th Anniversary lapel pin, made from metal that flew on a space shuttle, and the STS-135 mission sticker, and of course my NASATweetUp ID badge. And what would a TweetUp be without the SpaceTweeps? Having time to connect face-to-face is, as the old commercial says, priceless. SpaceTweeps are an interesting and diverse group. Sharing time discussing the space program, swapping shuttle launch stories, sharing about our lives, and speculating on the future of NASA and human space flight were all lively conversations.

It's official! TweetUp badge and NASA HQ.

SVPTweetUp Alumni

SpaceTweeps

The TweetUp program included the presentation of the STS-135 Mission Highlights film, featuring a soundtrack by RUSH and a song they had composed to mark the occasion of the launch of STS-1. Ferguson and Magnus shared several anecdotes of their mission and training flow, ranging from the humorous, to serious science and space geekdom. They engaged in a Q&A session, taking questions from the floor at the end of the presentation. The great thing about the event, is that Ferguson and Magnus clearly understood that this was an "inside" audience. The stories they shared were not the same ones we had heard in the various interviews throughout the mission flow. In a couple of cases, they shed more light on stories we had heard. The infamous T-31 sec "been cap" glitch and hold for example. Ferguson commented that, "this wasn't something that had been in the SIMS. It wasn't something that had ever happened." "I was incredulous." The image of the four of them on the flight deck trying to figure out what was going on, much like all of us were doing watching the launch, was  a great one. The image of Ferguson in his CMDR voice, telling everyone on the flight deck to be quiet so he could hear brought images of a family car trip to mind." Ferguson commented further on the hold, "Once I understood what the problem was, I could see it was clear, but [launch control] wouldn't take my word on it."

Magnus shared stories of the difficulties growing up as a young girl with dreams of being an astronaut. "I kept it secret, because I didn't think anyone would understand." Her story affirms how important it is that we provide young girls with positive female role models. Women that they can see as the embodiment of their own dreams. 

I was chosen to ask the final question of the TweetUp. I had several questions for Ferguson and Magnus, ranging from space/STEM geek questions about mission minutiae, to their thoughts and hopes for the next steps with NASA for them personally as well as programatically. The final question had to be something summative and lasting.

MW: "What do you see as the most important skills for children to develop in preparation for their future?"

CF & SM: "Becoming a life-long learner. Adaptability."

Considering more than 60% of our students will take a job that does not yet exist, I think these are great recommendations.