#nasatweetup

[hellolifeadventures]

Seems sort of fitting that today, on the three year anniversary of my favorite robot launching on a rocket to Mars (and me watching it in person with 150 new friends & family!) I should be at work playing the part of a Flight Director living and working on the surface of the Red Planet, overseeing students in Mars Control at Chryse Station. :) #MSL #NASATweetup #clcathcc #SpaceTweeps forever #whoami #thisismylife #LifeOfLibby

[brx0]

Window! #winning #nasatweetup

[thisisandres]

My NASA Tweetup Tomorrow with Astronaut Ron Garan.

Because the love of space is immeasurable, NASA will be holding yet another tweetup at Headquarters here in Washington, D.C. on Valentine's Day. This time, it's with Astronaut Ron Garan, retired Air Force Colonel and Mission Specialist for STS-124. He returned to Earth last September after a six-month stay aboard the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 27.

I just have to say it: the man is pretty cool. He has over 5,000 flight hours, he has lived in space and he is an environmental steward. From his website, Fragile Oasis:

The stark contrast between the beauty of our planet and the unfortunate realities of life for many of its inhabitants reaffirmed the belief I share with so many. Each and every one of us on this planet has the responsibility to leave it a little better than we found it.

Beth Beck, Human Exploration & Operations Public Outreach Manager at NASA and Phenomenal Human Being, gave us the pleasure of briefly saying hello and goodbye to Astro Ron during the tweetup for the final space shuttle launch. Why was this exciting? Because at that moment, Astro Ron was 250 miles above us aboard the International Space Station! He just happened to call while we were touring the massive Vehicle Assembly Building. I managed to record a little clip:

          So I'm looking forward to seeing Ron Garan in person tomorrow. If you follow me on Twitter (@andresdavid), expect some fanboyish tweets your way. I must thank my buddy Joseph Lewis who is bringing me along as his guest.

p.s. I'm hoping Ron debuts the sequel to this little video he and Astronaut Mike Fossum made:

[thisisandres]

GEEK ALERT: Create your own inflatable planetarium! Chances are you already have these items around the house. (via @JPMajor)

[thisisandres]

July 8th, 2011 - one of the most incredible days of my life. The Space Shuttle program came to a close with the final launch of Atlantis on STS-135. I was chosen by NASA as part of a NASA Tweetup to view the launch from the press site at Kennedy Space Center. You know, by the famous Countdown Clock (!!!). I clutched my iPhone to my chest and pressed 'record' so I could experience it with my own eyes. Nothing can prepare you for the sight and sound of 4.5 million pounds lifting off into Space. And yes, I cried like a baby afterward.