NASA to Host Google+ Hangout with International Space Station

NASA solicited questions via YouTube for the event. Interested participants can also use Google+, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook to pose questions during the event.

Space enthusiasts eager to learn more about what it’s like to live in the cosmos are in luck: NASA is hosting a Google+ Hangout with astronauts aboard the International Space Station from 11 am to noon EST on Friday, February 22.

From February 7 to 12, NASA solicited questions for the chat via YouTube and garnered about 150 submissions for potential queries.

“We’re thrilled with the questions since many of them were really good questions,” says Jason Townsend, NASA’s deputy social media manager.

The event will connect NASA’s robust social media following with astronauts on the ground, as well as those living and working aboard the laboratory, which orbits 240 miles above Earth.

NASA has 1.7 million Facebook fans and 3.5 million Twitter followers.

Google+ Hangouts allow up to ten people to chat face-to-face via their computers or the Google+ mobile app. According to NASA, thousands more can tune in to watch the conversation live from NASA’s Google+ page or via the NASA Television YouTube channel. NASA has 400,000 followers on Google+ and 213,000 YouTube subscribers.

To be considered as possible questions, video clips had to be uploaded to YouTube, tagged with #askAstro and had a limit of 30 seconds. During the event, several video questions will be selected. In addition, fans can use #askAstro to submit questions on Google+, YouTube or Twitter during the event. On the morning of the event, NASA will also open a thread on its Facebook page for questions.

The hour-long event will be connected to the International Space Station for 20 minutes, during which time astronauts Kevin Ford and Tom Marshburn of NASA and Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency will provide insight into what’s it’s like to live aboard the station. Astronauts on the ground will answer questions for the remainder.

Marshburn and Hadfield give peeks into their lives on the Space Station via their Twitter accounts. @AstroMarshburn has 19,000 followers. @Cmdr_Hadfield has 362,000 followers.

According to Townsend, the Space Station currently has a total of six inhabitants who are conducting research and performing maintenance during their November 2012 to March 2013 stay.

“Their life aboard the station in near-weightlessness requires different approaches to everyday activities such as eating, sleeping and exercising,” NASA says.

This marks NASA’s first Google+ Hangout with the International Space Station. Previous Google+ Hangouts include: NASA’s Charlie Bolden and SpaceX’s Elon Musk; Celebrating Small Businesses Contributions to the Mars Curiosity Rover; and Beyond 2012.

Like previous social endeavors, Townsend says NASA seeks to spark scientific curiosity with this Google+ Hangout. This particular event helps highlight the notion that there are actually human beings living and working in space, far above the earth.

“We are trying to connect with as many people as possible,” Townsend says. “We want to share in what’s going on at the International Space Station.”

Subscribe to get your daily business insights

Whitepapers

US Mobile Streaming Behavior
Whitepaper | Mobile

US Mobile Streaming Behavior

5y

US Mobile Streaming Behavior

Streaming has become a staple of US media-viewing habits. Streaming video, however, still comes with a variety of pesky frustrations that viewers are ...

View resource
Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics for Media Groups
Whitepaper | Analyzing Customer Data

Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics for Media Groups

5y

Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics f...

Data is the lifeblood of so many companies today. You need more of it, all of which at higher quality, and all the meanwhile being compliant with data...

View resource
Learning to win the talent war: how digital marketing can develop its people
Whitepaper | Digital Marketing

Learning to win the talent war: how digital marketing can develop its peopl...

2y

Learning to win the talent war: how digital market...

This report documents the findings of a Fireside chat held by ClickZ in the first quarter of 2022. It provides expert insight on how companies can ret...

View resource
Engagement To Empowerment - Winning in Today's Experience Economy
Report | Digital Transformation

Engagement To Empowerment - Winning in Today's Experience Economy

1m

Engagement To Empowerment - Winning in Today's Exp...

Customers decide fast, influenced by only 2.5 touchpoints – globally! Make sure your brand shines in those critical moments. Read More...

View resource