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Showing posts with label NASA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NASA. Show all posts
Saturday, February 14, 2026
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Gina Sunseri, ABC News Producer, receives 2024 RNASA Space Communicator Award
Gina Sunseri, a Houston-based ABC News Producer, received the prestigious 2024 Space Communicator Award from the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation on April 26, 2024, at the Houston Hyatt Regency.
UPDATE MARCH 2025
Gina Sunseri Wins 2025 National Space Club & Foundation Press Award
RELATED
Former abc13 producer-editor is reaching for the stars
"Being in the same company as previous honorees is truly humbling," Sunseri said in a statement. "I have always tried to make the space program engaging for our viewers—and to share the curiosity, hard work, creativity, and passion of the people who fulfill our desire to explore. I am fascinated by the small stories-- the cat videos from space. The lost tomato. The astronaut who had spicy shrimp cocktail for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day of his mission. And of course, Suni Williams’ cutting her ponytail in space for charity."
A trusted fixture on the ABC News space beat for more than two decades, Sunseri started covering the space program in 1996 when one of her earliest assignments was to cover astronaut Shannon Lucid - the only American woman to live aboard the Mir space station. Since then, Gina has produced or contributed to hundreds of articles and broadcast news segments covering Space Shuttle launches, spacewalks, commercial space flight, the International Space Station, five Mars missions, and the much-anticipated Artemis II mission scheduled to launch in 2025.
"For over two decades, Gina Sunseri has set a high bar for outstanding coverage of our nation’s space programs, educating millions of Americans through her thoughtful and expert productions for ABC News," Mark Carreau, Aviation Week & Space Technology Houston Correspondent, and 2006 Space Communicator Award recipient who nominated Sunseri said.
"Her deep understanding of the space program is evident in stories that often provide angles that other media miss," Veronica McGregor, Digital News and Media Manager for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and 2013 Space Communicator Award recipient, said. "Her dedication to covering the space beat has benefitted the industry as well as ABC and millions of viewers."
After the tragic loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003, Sunseri extensively covered the seven astronauts lost aboard STS-107, NASA’s investigation of the disaster, and the safety measures implemented before the 2005 Return to Flight. She played a crucial role in the ABC News team that earned an Emmy Award for their investigative report titled "Columbia Final Mission," which aired on "Primetime Thursday."
When she's not pursuing stories or conducting interviews, Sunseri enjoys travel, weather, music, and gardening. She is happily married to retired KPRC photographer John Treadgold and is a mother of two.
The RNASA Space Communicator Award, established in 1997 in honor of KTRK, Houston Channel 13 space reporter and long-time RNASA Advisor Stephen Gauvain, who tragically died in a car accident in 1996, recognizes individuals or teams for outstanding contributions to public understanding and appreciation of space exploration.
Previous recipients of the award include William Harwood of CBS; Miles O'Brien, formerly of CNN; Elliot Pulham of the Space Foundation; the NASA-Contractor Communications team that responded to the Columbia accident; Mark Carreau, formerly of the Houston Chronicle; Neil deGrasse Tyson of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History; Veronica McGregor, Manager of News and Social Media at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Chris A. Hadfield, former Canadian Space Agency astronaut; Bill Nye (the science guy), CEO of the Planetary Society; Rob Navias, Public Affairs Officer (PAO) Mission commentator; William Shatner, actor, author, producer, and director; and Bill Ingalls, senior NASA photographer.
Monday, March 04, 2024
Modern Storyteller's podcast
Here is episode #2 of Houston journalist Richard Tew's Modern Storyteller's podcast.
Guests included NASA's Executive Producer of Live Broadcasts Sami Aziz, The Post Newspaper's feature’s editor Ruth Ann Ruiz, and me.
We had a great time discussing the art of storytelling, and what it takes to make it as both an independent or network filmmaker.
We also discussed local storytelling vis-Ã -vis, reporting on local topics in a newspaper or online. As you might guess, the last part is me, and I got a few tidbits in about my now released 101 KLOL documentary "Runaway Radio."
Thursday, November 16, 2017
NASA DJ to broadcast radio show from space thanks to Houston company
NASA astronaut Joe Acaba spins the records on Third Rock Radio from the ISS, 250 miles above Earth
You know we always do it bigger and better in Houston, so it should be no surprise we're getting another out of this world broadcast thanks to an astronaut.
NASA's Third Rock Radio is hosting the return of The Joe Show, a transmission from 250 miles above the Earth on board the International Space Station (ISS).
NASA astronaut Joe Acaba will spin the records in a two hour special broadcast of New Rock from Space Thursday, December 7th from 4-6pm central time.
He will share his new rock discoveries along with a peek behind the curtain of an astronaut in space.
Acaba last played a space DJ in 2012 for Third Rock Radio.
"From the recordings launched aboard the Voyager spacecraft to the wake up songs on shuttle missions, NASA and music have a long history together," Acaba said in a statement back then. "As a former educator, I also appreciate the strong links between music and math, one of the core STEM components that is so critical to my work as an astronaut."
Third Rock Radio is produced under a NASA Space Act Agreement with RFC Media of Houston. It was created to help cultivate new interest in STEM among hard-to-reach young Americans.
LISTEN HERE
I know people used to say rock DJs were a little spacey, but this takes it to a whole new level!
You know we always do it bigger and better in Houston, so it should be no surprise we're getting another out of this world broadcast thanks to an astronaut.
NASA's Third Rock Radio is hosting the return of The Joe Show, a transmission from 250 miles above the Earth on board the International Space Station (ISS).
He will share his new rock discoveries along with a peek behind the curtain of an astronaut in space.
Acaba last played a space DJ in 2012 for Third Rock Radio.
"From the recordings launched aboard the Voyager spacecraft to the wake up songs on shuttle missions, NASA and music have a long history together," Acaba said in a statement back then. "As a former educator, I also appreciate the strong links between music and math, one of the core STEM components that is so critical to my work as an astronaut."
Third Rock Radio is produced under a NASA Space Act Agreement with RFC Media of Houston. It was created to help cultivate new interest in STEM among hard-to-reach young Americans.
LISTEN HERE
I know people used to say rock DJs were a little spacey, but this takes it to a whole new level!
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
'The Scott Kelly Out Of This World Tour: Rocking the One-Year Mission' on Third Rock Radio
NASA astronaut's out of this world tour for Third Rock Radio
You’ve heard of a world tour. Now get ready for an out-of-this-world tour – literally.
On Thursday, Feb. 18, RFC Media will broadcast “The Scott Kelly Out Of This World Tour: Rocking the One-Year Mission,” hosted by the International Space Station commander from 240 miles above Earth.
The two-hour broadcast will be featured exclusively on NASA’s Third Rock Radio – America’s Space Station – beginning at 4 p.m. Central.
Listeners will enjoy an in-depth look at the historic Year-In-Space mission aboard the ISS.
Beginning with Commander Kelly’s selection to be the astronaut to take this incredible journey, the show will offer a unique, fascinating look at the mission and his personal approach to the challenges of living in space.
“The Year-In-Space mission holds historic significance for future NASA astronauts,” said Patrick Fant of RFC Media, producers of Third Rock Radio. “This is a great chance to inspire our listeners – and the world – by giving them an up-close and personal sense of what it’s like to live and work on the ISS.”
Our sponsor/partner for the special broadcast is Space Camp.
Third Rock Radio can be streamed for free from the NASA.gov homepage or directly at www.thirdrockradio.net or via the TuneIn mobile app, which is available for smart phones and tablet computers through both the Google Play and iTunes app stores.
The One-Year Mission began in March 2015, when Commander Kelly and Russian Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko began collaborative investigations on the ISS. The goal of their work is to yield beneficial knowledge on the medical, psychological and biomedical
challenges faced by astronauts during long-duration spaceflight.
Commander Kelly is due to return to Earth on March 1.
To learn more about the ISS and Commander Kelly, go to here.
Third Rock Radio is produced under a NASA Space Act Agreement with RFC Media of Houston. It was created to help cultivate new interest in science, technology, engineering, and math among hard-to-reach young adults.
About RFC Media
RFC Media is a world leader in creating customized, content-driven, brand-focused radio stations for businesses, organizations, and institutions. With live programming and strategic messaging that is targeted to specific audiences, RFC Media redefines and revolutionizes traditional Internet radio by helping clients create an interactive, multidimensional experience that builds, sustains, and deepens relationships with their customers.
(The above post was taken from a press release sent to me by RFC Media)
By the way, if you have any audio, photos, paraphernalia from the 101 KLOL days, email me! I need to see them for my documentary on the iconic Houston rock station! I'm also looking for 97 Rock and 100.3 KILT rock stuff too! Immortalize a photo of you in a Rock 101 KLOL documentary!
You’ve heard of a world tour. Now get ready for an out-of-this-world tour – literally.
On Thursday, Feb. 18, RFC Media will broadcast “The Scott Kelly Out Of This World Tour: Rocking the One-Year Mission,” hosted by the International Space Station commander from 240 miles above Earth.
The two-hour broadcast will be featured exclusively on NASA’s Third Rock Radio – America’s Space Station – beginning at 4 p.m. Central.
Listeners will enjoy an in-depth look at the historic Year-In-Space mission aboard the ISS.
Beginning with Commander Kelly’s selection to be the astronaut to take this incredible journey, the show will offer a unique, fascinating look at the mission and his personal approach to the challenges of living in space.
 |
| Patrick Fant |
Our sponsor/partner for the special broadcast is Space Camp.
Third Rock Radio can be streamed for free from the NASA.gov homepage or directly at www.thirdrockradio.net or via the TuneIn mobile app, which is available for smart phones and tablet computers through both the Google Play and iTunes app stores.
The One-Year Mission began in March 2015, when Commander Kelly and Russian Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko began collaborative investigations on the ISS. The goal of their work is to yield beneficial knowledge on the medical, psychological and biomedical
challenges faced by astronauts during long-duration spaceflight.
Commander Kelly is due to return to Earth on March 1.
To learn more about the ISS and Commander Kelly, go to here.
Third Rock Radio is produced under a NASA Space Act Agreement with RFC Media of Houston. It was created to help cultivate new interest in science, technology, engineering, and math among hard-to-reach young adults.
About RFC Media
RFC Media is a world leader in creating customized, content-driven, brand-focused radio stations for businesses, organizations, and institutions. With live programming and strategic messaging that is targeted to specific audiences, RFC Media redefines and revolutionizes traditional Internet radio by helping clients create an interactive, multidimensional experience that builds, sustains, and deepens relationships with their customers.
(The above post was taken from a press release sent to me by RFC Media)
Monday, September 07, 2015
When a movie stinks, you’ll smell it on Third Rock Radio with Jr. Mintz
Former 101 KLOL partners Doug Harris and Pat Fant Reconnect on Third Rock Radio
Third Rock Radio, the digital rock station created for NASA by Houston-based RFC Media, has become the newest outlet for movie reviews by Jr. Mintz, written and voiced by broadcast industry veteran Doug Harris.
Harris, the award-winning promotions director turned marketing consultant, first used the Jr. Mintz moniker in 1983 at legendary AOR KLOL-FM at the suggestion of then GM and fellow Texas Radio Hall of Famer, Patrick Fant (now C.O.O of RFC Media.) Since that time, Jr. Mintz reviews have aired on The Buzz, The Arrow, The New 93Q, The Eagle, and News 92 FM in Houston as well as a multi-year run on the Connecticut Radio Network.
Fant, who formed RFC Media with veteran programmer Cruze in 2009, recently suggested the new collaboration, which the men launched with uncharacteristic restraint over Labor Day weekend.
"Junior’s going global," notes Fant, "and Third Rock listeners should fasten their seat-belts."
Third Rock Radio’s listening episodes surpassed 1.5 million in the month of August from music lovers and space enthusiasts across the USA and in dozens of countries worldwide.
For a 12 year period spanning the 80’s and the 90’s, Harris and Fant, in tandem with some of the industry’s biggest rock radio personalities and a string of exalted PD’s, generated headlines, ratings, and record revenues for KLOL, the family-owned FM rocker in Houston.
Harris, who has worked with Fant on a number of projects since their time at KLOL, says he’s looking forward to connecting with his creative partner again.
"We’re just a couple of unapologetic radio fans," admits Harris, "and we’re on the lookout for the next big thing. Pat’s found it. His vision to commercialize internet radio is bold, which is the only way he knows how to do things. I’m just glad to get a seat on the train. And as long as Adam Sandler insists on making films, I’ll have plenty to talk about."
Follow Doug @JrMintzMovies. Hear Third Rock Radio at www.ThirdRockRadio.com.
RELATED
- Rock 101 KLOL back on air?
- NASA.gov gets alternative online radio through RFC Media
(This post was taken from a press release sent to me by Noisemaker Communications. Both Fant and Harris will be featured in my upcoming Rock 101 Documentary.)
 |
| Doug Harris aka Jr. Mintz |
Harris, the award-winning promotions director turned marketing consultant, first used the Jr. Mintz moniker in 1983 at legendary AOR KLOL-FM at the suggestion of then GM and fellow Texas Radio Hall of Famer, Patrick Fant (now C.O.O of RFC Media.) Since that time, Jr. Mintz reviews have aired on The Buzz, The Arrow, The New 93Q, The Eagle, and News 92 FM in Houston as well as a multi-year run on the Connecticut Radio Network.
Fant, who formed RFC Media with veteran programmer Cruze in 2009, recently suggested the new collaboration, which the men launched with uncharacteristic restraint over Labor Day weekend.
"Junior’s going global," notes Fant, "and Third Rock listeners should fasten their seat-belts."
Third Rock Radio’s listening episodes surpassed 1.5 million in the month of August from music lovers and space enthusiasts across the USA and in dozens of countries worldwide.
 |
| Pat Fant |
For a 12 year period spanning the 80’s and the 90’s, Harris and Fant, in tandem with some of the industry’s biggest rock radio personalities and a string of exalted PD’s, generated headlines, ratings, and record revenues for KLOL, the family-owned FM rocker in Houston.
Harris, who has worked with Fant on a number of projects since their time at KLOL, says he’s looking forward to connecting with his creative partner again.
"We’re just a couple of unapologetic radio fans," admits Harris, "and we’re on the lookout for the next big thing. Pat’s found it. His vision to commercialize internet radio is bold, which is the only way he knows how to do things. I’m just glad to get a seat on the train. And as long as Adam Sandler insists on making films, I’ll have plenty to talk about."
Follow Doug @JrMintzMovies. Hear Third Rock Radio at www.ThirdRockRadio.com.
RELATED
- Rock 101 KLOL back on air?
- NASA.gov gets alternative online radio through RFC Media
(This post was taken from a press release sent to me by Noisemaker Communications. Both Fant and Harris will be featured in my upcoming Rock 101 Documentary.)
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Why One Direction at Houston's Johnson Space Center is important
Top music act One Direction films video for "Drag Me Down" at NASA's Johnson Space Center Houston
It's always nice when Houston gets positive attention. Like any city, it has its haters.
So when the news came out that English-Irish pop boy band One Direction filmed a new video at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, there was some positive attention for Space City.
But it's also good news for NASA in general. Outside of the International Space Station, there is no manned space travel since the space shuttle program was cancelled. Budget cuts have slowed down other efforts. Now it's the era of the Jet Propulsion Lab's Pluto probes/Mars rovers, private companies like SpaceX and paying for Russian Soyuz rides to the ISS.
And the public's interest in space doesn't seem to be as high as in the past when astronauts were rocketing through the sky to new horizons.
Just a few weeks ago at Space Center Houston, I was on the NASA tour tram when I overheard a woman in her early 20's sitting behind me turn to her friend and asked what's the point of this space travel? She felt it seemed like bragging rights of an aging superpower. There were surely more important issues we could be focusing down here.
NASA, we have a PR problem.
I wanted to turn around and say you can probably thank the Apollo program for laying the groundwork of the the phone you are texting on today.
Youthful ambivalence about space exploration is a far cry from when I was a kid in the 80s. Thanks to the shuttles, NASA was a big presence in a child's life back then. Ask a kid what they wanted to be when they grew up back then and astronaut would probably be one of the desired gigs.
No, I wasn't around in the 60s, but that clearly was a big time for space travel. The Cold War with the Soviet Union helped gin up the public's interest in the space race. Listen to this quick ABC News broadcast on 99.1 KODA-FM from 1964 to hear more perspective on that.
So maybe in a way, having 1D's heartthrob Harry Styles and crew singing "Drag Me Down" along side of NASA T-38 aircraft jets and the WB-57 High Altitude Research Aircraft, will help the group's young audience appreciate NASA and humankind's long desire to explore the depths of our galaxy. Could it even get kids into STEM education you hear so much about in the media?
Or will they simply think Style's playful interaction with Robonaut, a human-like robot that is also on the ISS, is totally YOLO.
Hey, any word if One Direction music will be sent with the Orion crew to Mars?
Since I'm talking space news. I was just at Space Center Houston last week and took this photo of the new space shuttle replica Independence that will be open for public view January 2016. This will save me the trip to New York to see another "space shuttle."
 |
| One Direction at NASA's JSC (Columbia Records) |
It's always nice when Houston gets positive attention. Like any city, it has its haters.
So when the news came out that English-Irish pop boy band One Direction filmed a new video at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, there was some positive attention for Space City.
But it's also good news for NASA in general. Outside of the International Space Station, there is no manned space travel since the space shuttle program was cancelled. Budget cuts have slowed down other efforts. Now it's the era of the Jet Propulsion Lab's Pluto probes/Mars rovers, private companies like SpaceX and paying for Russian Soyuz rides to the ISS.
And the public's interest in space doesn't seem to be as high as in the past when astronauts were rocketing through the sky to new horizons.
Just a few weeks ago at Space Center Houston, I was on the NASA tour tram when I overheard a woman in her early 20's sitting behind me turn to her friend and asked what's the point of this space travel? She felt it seemed like bragging rights of an aging superpower. There were surely more important issues we could be focusing down here.
NASA, we have a PR problem.
I wanted to turn around and say you can probably thank the Apollo program for laying the groundwork of the the phone you are texting on today.
Youthful ambivalence about space exploration is a far cry from when I was a kid in the 80s. Thanks to the shuttles, NASA was a big presence in a child's life back then. Ask a kid what they wanted to be when they grew up back then and astronaut would probably be one of the desired gigs.
No, I wasn't around in the 60s, but that clearly was a big time for space travel. The Cold War with the Soviet Union helped gin up the public's interest in the space race. Listen to this quick ABC News broadcast on 99.1 KODA-FM from 1964 to hear more perspective on that.
So maybe in a way, having 1D's heartthrob Harry Styles and crew singing "Drag Me Down" along side of NASA T-38 aircraft jets and the WB-57 High Altitude Research Aircraft, will help the group's young audience appreciate NASA and humankind's long desire to explore the depths of our galaxy. Could it even get kids into STEM education you hear so much about in the media?
Or will they simply think Style's playful interaction with Robonaut, a human-like robot that is also on the ISS, is totally YOLO.
Hey, any word if One Direction music will be sent with the Orion crew to Mars?
Since I'm talking space news. I was just at Space Center Houston last week and took this photo of the new space shuttle replica Independence that will be open for public view January 2016. This will save me the trip to New York to see another "space shuttle."
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Seeing a space shuttle in NY, mourning Houston's loss
Houston battled to bring home a space shuttle, but lost to New York
As you might have read earlier, it’s mikemcguff.com from New York this week. You can keep track of what I’ve seen through my Instagram or Facebook accounts.
One of my Big Apple missions was to see the one that got away. I’m not talking about a girl, but a space shuttle.
What? A guy from Houston, home of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, which served as mission control for the space shuttle program, has to go all the way to NYC to actually see one?
That would be the case. And the Enterprise, the shuttle in NY, is actually just a prototype. Still, good enough for Houston.
Don’t get me wrong, Space Center Houston now has a full-scale, high-fidelity replica of the shuttle called Independence. It's better than nothing, but don't you think the home of JSC should have an actual one?
First off, this is not an attack on New York. I love the city. And there is certainly nothing wrong with the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum where Enterprise now lives.
The museum is housed in a former World War II era aircraft carrier that survived several kamikaze attacks. There is a cool multimedia exhibit that brings this part of its history to life. You can also see vintage helicopters and jet fighters like the F-14 Tomcat, you know, the one Maverick flew in Top Gun.
So among these vintage helicopters and planes is the space shuttle.
In 2011, Our politicians waged a valiant fight to bring a shuttle home to Houston as the program was being retired. Houston Mayor Annise Parker and Harris County Judge Ed Emmett held a rally to gain support.
There was even a war of words between Houston Congressman Ted Poe and New York Senator Chuck Schumer. The powerful Senator won that battle.
"And I say to the people in Houston, when people all around the world in London and Tokyo and Paris and Buenos Aires say, 'Gee, I can't wait for my trip to Houston,' then you can have a shuttle," Schumer told a group of reporters back then. "Until then it's staying in New York."
The Enterprise is inside a hangar on top of the aircraft carrier museum. You have to pay extra to see it. Sunday evening, when I tried to buy a ticket, the museum’s staff actually told me I should just come back Monday. I persisted and finally got a ticket along with the other would be patrons behind me.
Heading straight to the shuttle building on the top deck, I noticed one of the first words you see upon entering is the name "Houston" mentioned in the inescapable space slogan associated with our fair city.
Once inside, the majesty of the Enterprise is very apparent. You have to climb stairs to get to the top level to be eye level with the cockpit. While you can’t go inside, this is your chance to really see it up close and get a photo.
Once you get your selfie, you go back down the stairs to see the exhibit which is directly underneath the shuttle. It includes facts and dates about the shuttle program and even an old Russian Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft.
The entire exhibit looks good and serves as a introduction to the retired space vehicle program, but I couldn't help but think a tour of NASA’s JSC could go really well with this experience.
Clearly I wasn't the only one thinking about my hometown when I left the exhibit. I heard a kid say over and over to himself “Houston” as we were going down the stairs.
Couldn't agree with you more kid.
As you might have read earlier, it’s mikemcguff.com from New York this week. You can keep track of what I’ve seen through my Instagram or Facebook accounts.
One of my Big Apple missions was to see the one that got away. I’m not talking about a girl, but a space shuttle.
What? A guy from Houston, home of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, which served as mission control for the space shuttle program, has to go all the way to NYC to actually see one?
That would be the case. And the Enterprise, the shuttle in NY, is actually just a prototype. Still, good enough for Houston.
Don’t get me wrong, Space Center Houston now has a full-scale, high-fidelity replica of the shuttle called Independence. It's better than nothing, but don't you think the home of JSC should have an actual one?
First off, this is not an attack on New York. I love the city. And there is certainly nothing wrong with the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum where Enterprise now lives.
The museum is housed in a former World War II era aircraft carrier that survived several kamikaze attacks. There is a cool multimedia exhibit that brings this part of its history to life. You can also see vintage helicopters and jet fighters like the F-14 Tomcat, you know, the one Maverick flew in Top Gun.
So among these vintage helicopters and planes is the space shuttle.
In 2011, Our politicians waged a valiant fight to bring a shuttle home to Houston as the program was being retired. Houston Mayor Annise Parker and Harris County Judge Ed Emmett held a rally to gain support.
There was even a war of words between Houston Congressman Ted Poe and New York Senator Chuck Schumer. The powerful Senator won that battle.
"And I say to the people in Houston, when people all around the world in London and Tokyo and Paris and Buenos Aires say, 'Gee, I can't wait for my trip to Houston,' then you can have a shuttle," Schumer told a group of reporters back then. "Until then it's staying in New York."
The Enterprise is inside a hangar on top of the aircraft carrier museum. You have to pay extra to see it. Sunday evening, when I tried to buy a ticket, the museum’s staff actually told me I should just come back Monday. I persisted and finally got a ticket along with the other would be patrons behind me.
Heading straight to the shuttle building on the top deck, I noticed one of the first words you see upon entering is the name "Houston" mentioned in the inescapable space slogan associated with our fair city.
Once inside, the majesty of the Enterprise is very apparent. You have to climb stairs to get to the top level to be eye level with the cockpit. While you can’t go inside, this is your chance to really see it up close and get a photo.
Once you get your selfie, you go back down the stairs to see the exhibit which is directly underneath the shuttle. It includes facts and dates about the shuttle program and even an old Russian Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft.
The entire exhibit looks good and serves as a introduction to the retired space vehicle program, but I couldn't help but think a tour of NASA’s JSC could go really well with this experience.
Clearly I wasn't the only one thinking about my hometown when I left the exhibit. I heard a kid say over and over to himself “Houston” as we were going down the stairs.
Couldn't agree with you more kid.
Thursday, June 05, 2014
VIDEO: Houston newsreel video from the 1940s to 1960s
Houston, the Astrodome, The Texas Medical Center and NASA preserved in time on film from the 1940s to the 1960s
History buffs will like the fact that the newsreel archive British Pathé has uploaded 85,000 of its historic films to YouTube...and Houston, Texas is represented! But based on the number of video views the Houston related videos have so far on the site, I am pretty much debuting them to the world here.
You will see film of Houston and Galveston from the 1940s. Then skip ahead to the 1960s for footage of the Astrodome, The Texas Medical Center and NASA (however NASA is sometimes referred to as the Manned Spacecraft Center).
Some of the footage is of actual news reports, while others will be the raw footage that would later become the story.
Changing Face Of American Cities - Houston (1963)
Houston, Texas (1966)
New Domed Stadium In Houston (1964)
Houston Welcomes Astronauts (1962)
- Houston Welcomes Welcomes Astronaut Schirra (1960-1969)
- Royal Salesman - Technicolor (1966)
- Selected Originals - Us Space Setback (1965)
Muhammad Ali vs Army in Houston (1967)
Recent Houston Chronicle coverage remembering this event
- Muhammad Ali made headlines for refusing to be drafted into the U.S. Army
Indoor Rodeo (1966)
Duke Of Windsor Goes Into Methodist Hospital (1964)
Hop Girl Queen Dublin Issue in Galveston (1942)
Folly's Foley's Department Store (1947)
OTHER VIDEO
- Brothers Hunted For Slaying Six Met Doom in Houston
- "Liberty Bell" Replica Dedicated
- Tanker Ablaze (1959)
History buffs will like the fact that the newsreel archive British Pathé has uploaded 85,000 of its historic films to YouTube...and Houston, Texas is represented! But based on the number of video views the Houston related videos have so far on the site, I am pretty much debuting them to the world here.
You will see film of Houston and Galveston from the 1940s. Then skip ahead to the 1960s for footage of the Astrodome, The Texas Medical Center and NASA (however NASA is sometimes referred to as the Manned Spacecraft Center).
Some of the footage is of actual news reports, while others will be the raw footage that would later become the story.
Changing Face Of American Cities - Houston (1963)
Houston, Texas (1966)
New Domed Stadium In Houston (1964)
Houston Welcomes Astronauts (1962)
- Royal Salesman - Technicolor (1966)
- Selected Originals - Us Space Setback (1965)
Muhammad Ali vs Army in Houston (1967)
- Muhammad Ali made headlines for refusing to be drafted into the U.S. Army
Indoor Rodeo (1966)
Duke Of Windsor Goes Into Methodist Hospital (1964)
Hop Girl Queen Dublin Issue in Galveston (1942)
OTHER VIDEO
- Brothers Hunted For Slaying Six Met Doom in Houston
- "Liberty Bell" Replica Dedicated
- Tanker Ablaze (1959)
Friday, October 12, 2012
Space shuttle Endeavour angers Los Angeles residents
There are tons of stories in the media about space shuttle Endeavour’s journey through the streets of Los Angeles to its final resting place at the California Science Center and they are full of complaints from "our friends" (to borrow from VP Biden) in La La Land.
I've been to LA a bunch of times...never heard of this California Science Center. (not that my visits make me a Southern California tourism expert, but if it were a major destination, you'd think it would be more prominently featured).
Anyway, those stories are full of angry LA residents. Here is an example from Marketplace.org:
I'm sure lots of Houston area residents would put up with the inconvenience. In fact here it wouldn't be considered an inconvenience, the streets/freeways would be lined up with Houstonians watching it's final journey to the NASA/Space Center Houston area in Clear Lake.
RELATED
Houston lost the space shuttle to this?
I've been to LA a bunch of times...never heard of this California Science Center. (not that my visits make me a Southern California tourism expert, but if it were a major destination, you'd think it would be more prominently featured).
Anyway, those stories are full of angry LA residents. Here is an example from Marketplace.org:
Some South Los Angeles residents are not excited about the historic event and see the weekend road closures as an inconvenience. Chris "Frost" Boone is one of those people. I met him on Crenshaw near 43rd Place waiting for the No. 210 bus.
"Most of the people on this side of town don't care about no space shuttle anyway," says Boone. "Why does it have to come this way?"
{sic}
"That's going to kill my business for Saturday," says Brown. "I'm going to pretty much be sitting here all day, not doing anything."
For Brown, not doing anything means losing the $300 he makes on a Saturday. He says it costs him $100 a week to rent his booth, so he's taking a hit. Brown wants somebody to compensate the businesses in South L.A. "I don't know, the city, the museum," says Brown. "Whoever is doing all this, they should pay us for our day, at least."
I'm sure lots of Houston area residents would put up with the inconvenience. In fact here it wouldn't be considered an inconvenience, the streets/freeways would be lined up with Houstonians watching it's final journey to the NASA/Space Center Houston area in Clear Lake.
RELATED
Houston lost the space shuttle to this?
Monday, September 24, 2012
Houston lost the space shuttle to this?
The above video is even more of a jab. This is what Houston lost its space shuttle to? REALLY!!!
Good luck to you Endeavour...you will need it.
Friday, December 09, 2011
NASA.gov gets alternative online radio through RFC Media
In 2010, I told you how Pat Fant, the man who signed on Rock 101 KLOL and 94.5 The Buzz KTBZ among others, was moving into the world of Internet streaming radio. That year he signed on HISD's K12 Radio.
Now Fant is back with an online radio station that reaches for the stars. Yeah, that was a cliche for saying he is working with NASA.
RELATED
- Houston rock radio pioneer dumps FM for Web broadcasting - mikemcguff.com exclusive
- HISD's and RFC Media's K12 Radio launches
Now Fant is back with an online radio station that reaches for the stars. Yeah, that was a cliche for saying he is working with NASA.
NASA has always stood for exploring the new and undiscovered. That now applies to music too.
The NASA mission of discovery and exploration is about to be showcased in a custom produced music radio station that is crafted specifically to speak the language of tech-savvy young adults. Third Rock: America’s Space Station, is set to lift off with a New Rock/Indi/Alternative format on Monday, December 12 from the home page of nasa.gov, while also streaming live over NASA iPhone and Droid applications.
Discovery powers the work of NASA. It’s also what drives music lovers to the Internet in search of works by new recording artists not generally represented on terrestrial radio. Music is a powerful lure. So, to connect and build a bridge with the hard-to-reach generation, NASA is taking its blend of art and science to where the largest audience can be found.
NASA has selected Houston-based RFC Media to launch Third Rock. Programming is designed to showcase the continuing work of NASA in a fresh new context that is tuned to connect with the marketing-resistant crowd. Pat Fant, RFC Media Co-Founder and COO said, “Today’s 4G audience craves new music and enjoys finding it. We’ve done the digging and pulled out the best songs and the deepest tracks from a full spectrum of rock artists across many styles and decades. NASA features and news items are embedded throughout the programming alongside greetings by celebrity artists. This is the full body of work, unpredictable and full of surprise, without the customary mind-numbing repetition. And, computers don’t pick the music. People do.”
Cruze, RFC Media Co-Founder and President added, “No one knows more about discovering new rock than NASA! If you were a cool new song, where would you want to live? The explosion in talented new writers and musicians is more than traditional radio can digest. The exciting new music is being discovered online through specialty sites like Third Rock, where listeners will hear about great new artists way before their friends hear of them.”
And while discovery is great, opportunity is everything. NASA places a high value on education, and since “you can’t rock if you don’t work,” Third Rock will also help partner companies fill high-tech job openings in engineering, science, IT, etc. The Third Rock job connection feature will link the brightest and best to the marketplace of high-paying job opportunities.
It’s music discovery at the speed of light. Look for Third Rock in on-line radio listings such as the Radio tab of Apple’s iTunes. NASA will utilize a wide array of social media resources to help spread the word about Third Rock. Third Rock is another leap forward in NASA’s use of award winning digital outreach and social media.
# # #
NASA is the world’s leading authority in GO FAST!
Houston-based RFC Media, LLC, designs, produces and executes private label radio stations for business, streaming custom content live online and across the mobile broadband networks. Our firm brings a rich history of broadcast management, programming and media marketing to private enterprise in the development of on-demand media.
RELATED
- Houston rock radio pioneer dumps FM for Web broadcasting - mikemcguff.com exclusive
- HISD's and RFC Media's K12 Radio launches
Monday, April 18, 2011
Space shuttling between Houston and New York - let the insults begin
The future home of a retired space shuttle is causing a war and now it's a battle between two of the nation's proudest states - Texas vs New York.
It's a war we must win, but we've already lost a big battle when NASA snubbed Space City
and set aside a shuttle for New York. The prototype orbiter Enterprise has been slated for the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York. New York City?
I don't even have to go into any great detail how Houston has the Johnson Space Center, Mission Control, "Houston, we have a problem,"...etc. and New York has Broadway.
Now lawmakers are laying down claim to the aging spacecrafts. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee others introduced legislation that would temporarily loan the Space Shuttle Discovery to the Space Center Houston for 15 years.
"This legislation would temporarily set aside the decision to dispose of the Discovery shuttle and instruct Gen. Bolden and NASA to temporarily 'loan' the Discovery shuttle to the appropriate location in Houston, Texas for a period of 15 years," Congresswoman Lee said in a statement.
And it's become a war of words between Houston Congressman Ted Poe and New York Senator Chuck Schumer.
Poe says NASA made a big mistake and did this for political reasons. Then Schumer fired back.
"And I say to the people in Houston, when people all around the world in London and Tokyo and Paris and Buenos Aires say, 'Gee, I can't wait for my trip to Houston,' then you can have a shuttle," Schumer told a group of reporters. "Until then it's staying in New York."
We have to be careful with Sen. Schumer as an opponent. Even though he was not elected in Texas, he'll somehow figure out how to tax and regulate us until we don't want the shuttle. Then lots of citizens will flee toConnecticut...I mean Louisiana for relief.
Then there is the bigger picture. Clearly NASA is looking to scale down its presence at the Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake. JSC was Mission Control for the shuttle fleet and obviously those missions are going away very soon. The current administration has also pretty much killed the back to the moon Constellation mission too. So what is the future of space locally for us?
It's a war we must win, but we've already lost a big battle when NASA snubbed Space City and set aside a shuttle for New York. The prototype orbiter Enterprise has been slated for the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York. New York City?I don't even have to go into any great detail how Houston has the Johnson Space Center, Mission Control, "Houston, we have a problem,"...etc. and New York has Broadway.
Now lawmakers are laying down claim to the aging spacecrafts. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee others introduced legislation that would temporarily loan the Space Shuttle Discovery to the Space Center Houston for 15 years.
"This legislation would temporarily set aside the decision to dispose of the Discovery shuttle and instruct Gen. Bolden and NASA to temporarily 'loan' the Discovery shuttle to the appropriate location in Houston, Texas for a period of 15 years," Congresswoman Lee said in a statement.
And it's become a war of words between Houston Congressman Ted Poe and New York Senator Chuck Schumer.
Poe says NASA made a big mistake and did this for political reasons. Then Schumer fired back.
"And I say to the people in Houston, when people all around the world in London and Tokyo and Paris and Buenos Aires say, 'Gee, I can't wait for my trip to Houston,' then you can have a shuttle," Schumer told a group of reporters. "Until then it's staying in New York."
We have to be careful with Sen. Schumer as an opponent. Even though he was not elected in Texas, he'll somehow figure out how to tax and regulate us until we don't want the shuttle. Then lots of citizens will flee to
Then there is the bigger picture. Clearly NASA is looking to scale down its presence at the Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake. JSC was Mission Control for the shuttle fleet and obviously those missions are going away very soon. The current administration has also pretty much killed the back to the moon Constellation mission too. So what is the future of space locally for us?
Monday, April 04, 2011
Bring the Shuttle Home to Houston Rally
The Houston mayor and Harris County Judge are putting out an SOS concerning getting out area a space shuttle:
Mayor Annise Parker, Judge Ed Emmett and surviving Columbia and Challenger family members invite you to help Houston Bring Home the Shuttle
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
12:30 p.m.
in front of City Hall
901 Bagby
Houston 77002
On April 12, 2011, NASA will announce the future homes for the retiring space shuttle orbiters. Houston is the home of the Johnson Space Center and mission control. The shuttles were designed here and astronauts live and train in Houston. Much of NASA's work today is still based from Houston. One of the shuttles belongs in Houston.
Please bring your family and friends and forward this email to others.
See http://www.houstontx.gov/citizensnet/shuttlehome.pdf for additional ways to support Houston in Bringing the Shuttle Home to Houston where it belongs.
Friday, December 17, 2010
NASA probe could give Energizer Bunny a run for its money
Break out the freeze dried champagne and astronaut ice cream for NASA's Mars mission. Launched in 2001, NASA's Mars Odyssey broke the record for longest serving spacecraft on the Red Planet. The probe began its 3,340th day in Martian orbit at 8:55 p.m. EST on Wednesday to break the record set by NASA's Mars Global Surveyor, which orbited Mars from 1997 to 2006:
Odyssey's longevity enables continued science, including the monitoring of seasonal changes on Mars from year to year and the most detailed maps ever made of most of the planet. In 2002, the spacecraft detected hydrogen just below the surface throughout Mars' high-latitude regions. The deduction that the hydrogen is in frozen water prompted NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander mission, which confirmed the theory in 2008. Odyssey also carried the first experiment sent to Mars specifically to prepare for human missions, and found radiation levels around the planet from solar flares and cosmic rays are two to three times higher than around Earth.
Odyssey also has served as a communication relay, handling most of the data sent home by Phoenix and NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity. Odyssey became the middle link for continuous observation of Martian weather by NASA's Mars Global Surveyor and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).
Odyssey will support the 2012 landing of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and surface operations of that mission. MSL will assess whether its landing area has had environmental conditions favorable for microbial life and preserving evidence about whether life has existed there. The rover will carry the largest, most advanced set of instruments for scientific studies ever sent to the Martian surface.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
NASA astronaut checks in Foursquare from space
NASA astronaut and International Space Station Commander Doug Wheelock became the first person to "check in" from space Friday using the mobile social networking application:
When Wheelock checked in to the space station venue using Foursquare's mobile site, he received a message that revealed a new Foursquare badge:
"You are now 220 miles above Earth traveling at 17,500 mph and unlocked the NASA Explorer Badge! Show this badge and get a free scoop of astronaut ice cream."
When Wheelock completes his mission and returns to Earth at the end of November, the NASA Explorer badge will be available for Foursquare users to earn.
"Check-ins from around the world have been cool, but this blew my mind!" said Dennis Crowley, CEO and co-founder of Foursquare. "We're psyched to partner with NASA to help users explore the space program and the universe."
Foursquare users check in to venues wherever they go using the service to find nearby friends; get helpful tips about the places they're visiting; and be challenged and rewarded for experiencing new things.
As result of the partnership, Foursquare users who check in to a NASA-related venue will find information from NASA about the location. For example, someone checking in at the agency's headquarters in Washington will discover that a replica of NASA astrophysicist John Mather's Nobel Prize is on display in the lobby.
I can boast that I just became the mayor of KIAH TV Channel 39 on Foursquare. My thing doesn't quite match up to Wheelock's though.
http://www.foursquare.com/NASA
http://www.nasa.gov/connect/foursquare.html
By the way, space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to begin an 11-day mission to the International Space Station with a launch at 3:40pm Monday, Nov. 1, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The STS-133 mission is Discovery's final scheduled flight.
Friday, October 22, 2010
NASA webcam shows new Mars rover being birthed
Take a second to stop watching Houston's new KUBE 57 channel and take a look at NASA engineers building the next Mars rover. A webcam is broadcasting NASA's Mars Science Laboratory staff build the new Curiosity rover in a clean room at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. A clean room means no pretzels or cigars. Curiosity should be able to drive longer distances over rougher terrain than previous rovers with a science payload 10 times the mass of instruments on NASA's Spirit and Opportunity. No word if it can go 'mudding' though.
So what's this very expensive device going to do? NASA says it will investigate whether the landing region has had environments favorable for supporting microbial life and for preserving evidence about whether life existed on the Red Planet. That is no small job either.
WATCH THE LIVE CAM HERE | More on the rover
Monday, August 30, 2010
Historic NASA photos now on Flickr
If you want to look at NASA photos from more than half a century, then head over to Flickr. The space agency and picture site just teamed up."NASA's long-standing partnership with Internet Archive and this new one with Yahoo!'s Flickr provides an opportunity for the public to participate in the process of discovery," said Debbie Rivera, lead for the NASA Images project at the agency's headquarters in Washington. "In addition, the public can help the agency capture historical knowledge about missions and programs through this new resource and make it available for future generations."
That's right, the public can add tags or keywords to the images to identify objects and people. The hope is the public's assistance will make the images easier to find online and add insight about NASA's history.
The sets of photos are broken down into themes:
- The "Launch and Takeoff" set captures iconic spacecraft and aircraft taking flight.
- "Building NASA" spotlights ground-breaking events and the construction of some of NASA's one-of-a-kind facilities.
- The "Center Namesakes" set features photos of the founders and figureheads of NASA's 10 field centers.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasacommons
While the NASA and Flickr partnership is new, the space agency already has a site called NASAimages.org which provides hundreds of thousands of images and thousands of hours of video, HD video and audio content available free to the public for download.
http://www.nasaimages.org/
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