NASA just announced that the Shuttle is go for a launch at 5:02 p.m. Eastern time on May 31 to go to — where else? — the space station. This will be a 14 day mission that includes three scheduled space walks to work on the Japanese lab module.
If I can (and I don’t see why not) I’ll live-Twitter the launch as usual.
Speaking of which– is anyone out there in BABlogland using Bebo? I just signed up, and much like Facebook and MySpace, I don’t see much reason for it to exist just yet.
If you went to BadAstronomy.com and found yourself here, never fear: the BA Blog has moved to its new home at Discover Blogs. The original BA site (with the Moon Hoax debunking and all that) is still online, too.
Phil Plait, the creator of Bad Astronomy, is an astronomer, lecturer, and author. After ten years working on Hubble Space Telescope and six more working on astronomy education, he struck out on his own as a writer. He has written two books, dozens of magazine articles, and 12 bazillion blog articles. He is a skeptic, and fights misuses of science as well as praising the wonder of real science.
Contact me: The Bad Astronomer "at" gmail "dot" com
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"Reading this book is like getting punched in the face by Carl Sagan. Frightening, but oddly exhilarating."
-- Daniel H. Wilson, author of How to Survive a Robot Uprising
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May 19th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
There is no reason for it to exist. Same with Facebook and Myspace in my opinion…
May 19th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Let’s go Discovery!
May 19th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
I would love to actually see the shuttle launch live. Hopefully I’ll make it down to FL for one before the shuttle is retired.
May 19th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
It’s 5:02 pm
May 19th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Bebo is just another social networking site trying to ride the coat-tails of Facebook and that useless MySpace. I’m actually getting fairly tired of FaceBook at this point, and gave up on MySpace awhile back.
May 19th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Wow, I want to go too!
Anyone else applying to become an ESA astronaut? I’m still struggling to decide wether it’s worth the 120 Pounds to get the medical licence required to start the application process…
May 19th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Bebo has been around for quite a long time now… on an Internet lifespan anyway. In fact I think I remember hearing about it before Myspace became a monster, and signed up only to discover it was lame. Facebook is much newer yet managed to “do it right.” Myspace, in my opinion, is mp3.com of today. They succeeded where mp3.com failed. Our band uses it to connect with other bands, and that works well.
There’s a few other “social network” sites out there that have attempted to make it, like “wayn.com” (WEAK!) and “justsayhi.com” (I looked at it once, and didn’t find it very useful).
At least with Facebook I have ended up being reunited with a lot of people from my past, whom I simply lost touch with but didn’t mind re-connecting…
May 19th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
@ Robin
I would sign up to be an astronaut in a heartbeat ( I saw ESA were recruiting a while back and got REALLY excited) except I don’t have my Science degree yet (working on it : ) AND I suspect that I’m prolly too old : (
May 20th, 2008 at 1:07 am
Any idea if this shuttle mission be streamed live on ustream again, like the last one?
I’m registered on all three(Facebook, Bebo, Myspace). Gotta agree with previous comments. Facebook seems to be the better option. All the social network sites seem to make one big mistake at one stage though, which is to let their users customize/butcher their personal pages, whether it be through Skins, or Apps.
May 20th, 2008 at 1:43 am
And a heads-up for any Brits, May 31st is also (I think…) the date that In The Shadow of the Moon will be shown on Channel 4. It’s a must-see for moon freaks!
D
May 20th, 2008 at 5:49 am
How oldfashioned I am …
I’m just on Livejournal (and Deviantart, but only as a commenter).
Say what you will about the Spacestation, but at least there’s a chance that’ll stay up there now that the ATV appears to work. (Go Europe!)
May 20th, 2008 at 8:16 am
dbalsdon: it should be streamed off the nasa homepage too.
I think I’ll be coming in on Saturday to watch- and maybe even get a little work done.
BTW there’s also a bill in to extend the shuttle flights and shorten “the gap” between shuttle and Ares I (if ares is the next thing, since there’s also hearings coming up to decide that). There’s a storm a’ brewin.
sili: I’m also on dev art, as drspiv. I don’t update often though, but I stick with it to check up on some other friends whose shows I don’t get to make it to. I’d be very curious to see the art of other BA readers, who are almost certainly polymaths.
May 20th, 2008 at 10:10 am
BA says: “…to go to — where else? — the space station.”
Yup, the shuttle being used for its intended purpose.
May 20th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I’m plannning on driving over from Tampa Saturday Morning to catch the Launch with my family. Anyone know the best place to watch? I’m thinking Titusville, but not sure where in Titusville is the best place.
Of course if anyone has VIP passes for a family of 4 for the space center I wouldn’t say no.
JT
jt(at)Nightgig[dot]com if you have any info for me.
JT
May 28th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I WILL be there. I rigged things at work so that no matter how many times NASA delays I get to stay there until it finally launches.
September 24th, 2008 at 7:23 am
For the record :
It launched, it flew successfully & it landed safe again.
Long belated “Hoorah!”