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#60 by collectSPACE on 20 Jun, 2007 19:48
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sts1canada - 20/6/2007 2:26 PM
Right, because heaven forbid anyone care that there are real humans up there, with real feelings and interests. We should only focus on the technical details, after all, the human experience of flying in space is superfluous; were it possible we should replace the astronauts with drones.
(example what is more important to cover, Suni's dog or the success of the STS-117 mission, the press thinks the dog story is important???!!!)
Sigh.
At the end of the day, if we can't see past computer crashes and insulation blankets for the way in which space flight has touched our culture and in turn, our culture has touched on space flight, then we're really lost. Ground the shuttle, shutdown the ISS, scrub the Vision and send robots instead.
There are millions of dog owners, most of whom have a hard time relating to the lives of astronauts in space. If hearing about how one such woman has 'brought' her dog to space makes just some of those people take notice, than I would say that's a better and more important job done than any technical or mission-specific question than you can suggest.
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#61 by JimO on 20 Jun, 2007 19:52
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Andy USA - 20/6/2007 2:21 PM
Who the hell of Flat Gorby?
Some kind of space gimmick over at www.nasawatch.com.
When you have substance, you play substance. Le voila, ici!!
When you opt for style, do gimmicks. -
#62 by STS Tony on 20 Jun, 2007 19:55
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Your saying Taco lovers and Dog owners will all be looking for NASA news now? Come on Robert!
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#63 by STS Tony on 20 Jun, 2007 19:57
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JimO - 20/6/2007 2:52 PM
QuoteAndy USA - 20/6/2007 2:21 PM
Who the hell of Flat Gorby?
Some kind of space gimmick over at www.nasawatch.com.
When you have substance, you play substance. Le voila, ici!!
When you opt for style, do gimmicks.
HEAR HEAR!!! -
#64 by collectSPACE on 20 Jun, 2007 19:58
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JimO - 20/6/2007 2:52 PM
Double sigh. Flat Gorby was neither invented by, the idea of, or even popularized first by NASA Watch.
Some kind of space gimmick over at www.nasawatch.com.
Flat Gorby was an idea by Suni's friends and family, as well as Suni herself about how to involve her dog, for whom she cares deeply, in her flight. Suni had several pictures of her dog on-board and her friends sent her some pictures of where 'Gorby' had visited in her absence from Earth.
That NASA Watch took notice and extended the invitation for others to participate was nice, but it was neither their first doing nor was it a gimmick (see my earlier reply above).
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#65 by Chris Bergin on 20 Jun, 2007 19:58
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Calm down about the media event and look at the venting from the water dump.
Now tell me the US public wouldn't find this interesting........no? oh well
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#66 by Ford Mustang on 20 Jun, 2007 19:59
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Waste water dump!
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#67 by JWag on 20 Jun, 2007 20:02
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STS Tony - 20/6/2007 2:55 PM Your saying Taco lovers and Dog owners will all be looking for NASA news now? Come on Robert!
He said nothing of the sort, and you know it.
I think he's got a good point.Most people think "this whole space thing" is just a boring waste of tax dollars. They don't have the education or inclination to relate to it in any meaningful way. So a little bit of "color" can go a long way into helping "Joe Sixpack" relate to "this whole space thing".
And I would think Jim Oberg of all people would be on board with relating the space program to the population.
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#68 by STS Tony on 20 Jun, 2007 20:04
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MondoMor - 20/6/2007 3:02 PM
QuoteSTS Tony - 20/6/2007 2:55 PM Your saying Taco lovers and Dog owners will all be looking for NASA news now? Come on Robert!
He said nothing of the sort, and you know it.
I think he's got a good point.Most people think "this whole space thing" is just a boring waste of tax dollars. They don't have the education or inclination to relate to it in any meaningful way. So a little bit of "color" can go a long way into helping "Joe Sixpack" relate to "this whole space thing".
So can Robert tell us how many Longhorn fans are now converted followers of NASA?
http://www.nasawatch.com/archives/2006/07/a_dumb_question.html -
#69 by collectSPACE on 20 Jun, 2007 20:06
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STS Tony - 20/6/2007 2:55 PM
Not sure what Taco lovers have to do with this, but no, they might not be overnight converts, but perhaps, for a few minutes, they might smile at something familiar to them. They might even mention "Flat Gorby" to their friends at work or family at home. And of course, "Flat Gorby" is just one example of a much bigger need: we, the space community, sometimes work so hard to take the human experience out of the equation, that we lose sight of the bigger picture. And then we wonder why the public-at-large doesn't take an interest.
Your saying Taco lovers and Dog owners will all be looking for NASA news now? Come on Robert!
All it takes is a small gesture, a "Flat Gorby" or a moving speech delivered from space, or even a lighthearted comparison of the ISS to a TIE fighter, to get the general public to take a moment's notice and from there, who knows? How many might then visit NASA's website, learn something new and perhaps develop a new interest? I would stand to bet that it's a number that is a whole lot more than anyone listening to the news and hearing about late mission inspections being completed (for example).QuoteSTS Tony - 20/6/2007 3:04 PM
Well, considering that my question (and its resulting answer) was noticed and picked up by both universities (Longhorns and Aggies), as well as by other media, it would seem to have reached a rather sizable audience, and remember, I was asking it for our audience, which is no small number either. Besides, it was the crew that raised the good-natured rivalry to the press before the flight and they were not shy about displaying their school pride in photographs released post-flight. I stand by my question.
So can Robert tell us how many Longhorn fans are now converted followers of NASA? -
#70 by jackyg on 20 Jun, 2007 20:06
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I think that for people who are not following this mission like you all do, it doesn't matter what kind of questions are being asked.
This is my first time that I'm following a mission from day to day. Now I understand why these question for you all are rare.
I think for people that only watch the news it is not rare.
Sorry if my english is not correct, I speak better english then I write.
By the way, thanks for all of you to write youre commentary here its amazing to follow the ISS end Atlantis on Nasa tv and this forum.
I'm a happy dutch woman. -
#71 by sts1canada on 20 Jun, 2007 20:08
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Rob, what bugs me is the not the story about Sunni's dog, sure it is a nice human interest story, I am not saying it should not be covered a little bit, the problem is that is about the only story that the general public is going to hear about, concerning this mission (Public reads & hears from news media that NASA flies multi million dollar mission to pick up a woman to reunite with her dog?). Sure, the public doesn't need to know about SARJ joints, thermal blankets on OMS pods etc., and I agree with you there, thats right, but this mission and the space program in general has more going for it than what the general news media reports. I have been following these missions, every one of them since STS-1, for the past 25 years and the news media is not reporting the real news of spaceflight (whatever everyone's opinion on that is) but focus too much on human interests (shuttle has a torn blanket, therefore it is doom and gloom, Columbia situation again, we saw that reported in the news from FD 2 to EVA 4), we have had that focus in the media for the past couple of missions (STS-114 torn blanket by commander's window, STS-115 debris during RCS hot fire, and STS-117 OMS blanket ascent damage). I am tired of it, the general public will never care for the space program like we do, no matter how many human interest stories the media reports, tomorrow the news will be about something else.
Sorry for my rant, I apologize for taking this thread off topic but this have been a pet peeve of mine since RTF and every mission, and with the general media it is getting worse.
Richard
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#72 by Chris Bergin on 20 Jun, 2007 20:12
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Hmm, we can't cut this thread up for some reason.
Let's move any further comments about the media event into this one (and I'll change the title).
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=8417&start=61&posts=65
Back to mission updates here please. -
#73 by sts1canada on 20 Jun, 2007 20:18
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Thanks Chris, I did not expect nor wanted my comment to turn into a new thread, and I don't want to continue on that discussion, everyone has their opinions on it, that is fine by me.
I agree, let get back to mission coverage everyone, I did not want to start a debate here, that was not my intention!
The orbiter is about to start orbit 189 of the mission as it passes the equator over the Pacific Ocean, today's mission status briefing will be at 5:00 PM EDT (9:00 PM GMT).
Richard
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#74 by Ford Mustang on 20 Jun, 2007 20:20
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Grapple point on the OBSS. Nice shot!
Pic 2: Great shot down the OBSS!
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#75 by Ford Mustang on 20 Jun, 2007 20:25
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Now deactivating the WLES (Wing Leading Edge Sensors) that detect debris hits during launch.
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#76 by Ford Mustang on 20 Jun, 2007 20:27
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Looking out at the Mexican/Californian coast!
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#77 by sts1canada on 20 Jun, 2007 20:33
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Passing over Chicago now, thumb of Michigan and Lake Huron, great views!
Richard
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#78 by sts1canada on 20 Jun, 2007 20:42
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We are now about two to two half hours away from having the KU antenna on Atlantis (that was providing some great down link video of Newfoundland and Labrador) being turned off and stowed for entry, so when that happens we will have no more live video from the shuttle, we are 10 minutes to sunset on this pass, so enjoy the last couple of hours of KU video while we have it.
Richard
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#79 by DaveS on 20 Jun, 2007 20:42
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KU band antenna dish visible in this view from PLB cam "D".
