Entry bubble Space, My Final Frontier

By: Ginger | September 12, 2008 | Category: Fun

Hi, my name is Ginger and I am your new Friday blogger. Nicole took a position at another agency. She is a wonderful writer and a lovely person. We will all miss her.

I am one of our older bloggers on the team. When I turn 50, instead of joining the Red Hat Society, I want to start my own “quirky-gals-over-50” society. We will wear yellow rain boots and speak in Klingon (“Grutnik juju mani kerplaw!” Translation…“These hot flashes are killing me. Turn on the air conditioning and pass the estrogen!”)

Asrtonaut floating in spaceAs you have probably gathered from my Klingon remark, I am a SciFi fan. In fact, I like all things science, including astronomy. My secret dream is to be in space for my 50th birthday, so I began contemplating how to make that happen in the next 4 years. I decided to visit the Science Topics page on USA.gov to help me locate information on NASA’s astronaut selection process.

I found out that you don’t have to be a pilot or in the military to become an astronaut. Science teachers (K-12 included) may qualify on the Basic Qualification Requirements. My 3 years of science teaching in the late 80’s probably isn’t what they had in mind, but heck, you never know. Unfortunately, NASA recently finished an application selection cycle, so my application will have to wait until the next cycle… stay tuned.

If you think you may have the right stuff, here is some interesting astronaut information to get you started. Also, read how the candidates from the astronaut program class of 2004 got into the program.

If you know of any junior “astronaut wannabes”, or just some kids who are interested in space, have them visit NASA's For Students page or these other space resources.

Are you interested in space? Let me hear about it!

| View Comments [7] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: astronaut_selection   ginger   space  

 

Entry bubble The Sky's the Limit

By: Stephanie | June 09, 2008 | Category: Fun

I'm a bit of a space geek sometimes. I stood on the sidewalk in my neighborhood a couple of weeks ago, staring up in the middle of the night with my cocker spaniel, waiting for a bright light to appear and slowly streak across the sky. Astronaut tethered to Space Shuttle Discovery starboard sideWhen the International Space Station did appear (right on time), I got goosebumps. To think that people are living and working in the sky, so far away! And I loved that I was able to know what that moving light was—and the best time it was to appear—courtesy of NASA's sighting information, personalized for my location.

It seems like space folks really try to help you understand their work, in so many creative ways. For example, NASA's website features live coverage of major events such as the Space Shuttle landing or docking with the Space Station; a virtual tour of the International Space Station (complete with a music video); and a neat game where you go on your very own space mission led by a virtual astronaut. And you have until June 27 to send your name to the moon aboard a future lunar mission (yes, this space geek's name is on the list).

NASA also offers e-mails that let you know when certain satellites will be visible in your particular location, and e-mails and RSS feeds on general NASA news (with intriguing titles such as "The Physics of Whipped Cream" and "Moondust and Duct Tape" ). Several NASA blogs also keep you in the know; be sure to check out Chris and Blair's fun posts.

If you visit or live in the Washington, DC, area, you might enjoy attending the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum's excellent, free planetarium shows that showcase which constellations are currently prominent in the night sky. Or drive to their skywatching presentation at a state park. The museum's relatively new Udvar-Hazy Center is also a must see (my favorites are viewing the Space Shuttle Enterprise and riding the nausea-inducing flight simulators).

Visit USA.gov's FAQs to learn more about eclipses and astronomy in general, satellites, and the International Space Station. Rocket science can be fun! And with the help of great websites, you just might turn into a bit of a space geek, too.

| View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: air   astronaut   astronomy   eclipse   lunar   moon   nasa   planetarium   rocket   satellite   science   shuttle   simulator   sky   space   station   stephanie