The Best Tweets Are From Space!
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Astronauts Send Messages to Earth via Twitter
On May 11, 2009, Michael J. Massimino flew into orbit on STS-125, the final Hubble servicing mission by the Space Shuttle Atlantis. During the mission, he became the first person to use Twitter in space.
Here are some of the best tweets from Mike (aka @Astro_Mike), in which he shares with us his experiences from his spacewalks, as he and the crew make some upgrades to the Hubble Telescope.
Mike's not the only Astronaut on Twitter though... Mark L. Polansky (@Astro_127) has been tweeting about the training for his upcoming mission. He also plans to send tweets from Space Shuttle Endeavour as it visits the International Space Station.
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Also, ever wondered what it would have been like if Twitter was around in 1969, when man first set foot on the moon? Well, now you can! Nature.com is retweeting events from the Apollo 11 mission, so you can follow along with the excitement.
1st Astronaut to Tweet from Space
Mike Massimino
Best of:
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- retweet | reply Astro_Mike
- I'm going to put my spacesuit on, next stop: Earth Orbit!!
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- retweet | reply Astro_Mike
- From orbit: Getting more accustomed to living in space today and getting ready for our big rendezvous with hubble
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- retweet | reply Astro_Mike
- From orbit: This is an awesome experience, the privilege to fly in space and work on the Hubble is beyond my dreams
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- retweet | reply Astro_Mike
- From orbit: My spacewalk was amazing, we had some tough problems, but through them all, the view of our precious planet was beautiful
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- From orbit: Hard to sleep last night after my spacewalk, images of the work and the views still vivid in my mind.
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- From orbit: At the end of my spacewalk, I had time to just look at the Earth, the most awesome sight my eyes have seen, undescribable
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- retweet | reply Astro_Mike
- From orbit: My second spacewalk was long but all worked out in the end, team effort
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- From orbit: Our fifth and final spacewalk is over, everyone is happy, time for a crew dinner to celebrate!
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- From orbit: Eating chocolates in space, floating then in front of me then floating and eating them like I am a fish
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- From orbit: Getting ready for bed, sleeping in space is cool, tie down your sleeping bag and float inside of it, very relaxing
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- From orbit: The Earth is so beautiful, it is like looking into paradise
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- From orbit: We see 16 sunrises and sunsets in 24 hrs, each one spectacular as the sun lights up the atmosphere in a spectrum of colors
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- retweet | reply Astro_Mike
- From orbit: Viewing the Earth is a study of contrasts, beautiful colors of the planet, thin blue line of atmosphere, pure blackness of space
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- retweet | reply Astro_Mike
- From orbit: The stars at night in space do not twinkle, they look like perfect points of light and I can clearly see the milky way galaxy
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- retweet | reply Astro_Mike
- From orbit: Flying over the Pacific Ocean at night there were some thunder storms, it is so cool to see lightning go off below the clouds
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- retweet | reply Astro_Mike
- From orbit: As I closed my eyes to sleep last night I thought “these eyes have seen some beautiful sights today”
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- From orbit: Enjoying a day off in space, taking photos, enjoying the view, having fun
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- From orbit: Night pass over Australia, the city lights give stunning signs of life on our planet within the darkness of nighttime
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- From orbit: Just saw Orion’s nebula in the night sky – the sights make all the hard work and risk worthwhile for me
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- From orbit: Just had our re-entry brief with mission control, we will try landing tomorrow a.m. but weather in FL looks iffy
Community write-ins:
Write a new tweet for this list! If thefluffanutta likes it, it could get picked for the best-of list above.
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Highlights from Mike's Spacewalk
Highlights from the second of five planned spacewalks to be undertaken during the STS-125 mission to upgrade and repair the Hubble Space Telescope. Astronauts are Mike Massimino and Mike Good.
Images of the Hubble Mission
- Hubble Servicing Mission 4 in Pictures, Part 1 | Universe Today
- The long-awaited Servicing Mission 4 for the Hubble Space Telescope has provided drama, nail-biting excitement, fist-pumping triumphs and 'what else could go wrong now' moments. But the best way to to describe the mission is to let the amazing images from the EVAs do the talking.
- More Stunning Images From the Hubble Servicing Mission | Universe Today
- In our last installment of images from the STS-125 mission, we left off with third EVA of the mission. Since then, as I'm sure you know, the astronauts have completed two more EVAs, released Hubble and are waiting for the weather to improve in Florida so they can land. So, let's get caught up with the latest images released by NASA.
The Next Extra-Terrestrial Tweeter
How does Twitter from orbit REALLY work? - Mark explains how this is done:
"I do NOT have online internet access. 3 times a day, mission control sends up files that include email. While my email in arrives, my email out that have sat in a folder since I wrote them will be brought to the ground. Once my emails for twitter arrive on the ground, someone will take them and post them on my twitter account. No one will edit my twitter posts, but they will NOT be live. I will put the date & time (CDT) that I wrote them."
Post Your Questions to Mark Polansky
NASA astronaut Mark Polansky has posted a video on YouTube, inviting users to be a part of his next mission by submitting questions through YouTube and then following updates via Twitter.
He asks that the questions be sent on a video (about 30 seconds long) and posted to YouTube, and then sent to his Twitter account (using the @reply method). He will then respond to the question on the nationally broadcast NASA TV.
Shuttle Crew Answers Questions From Space
via Video
NASA Astronaut Mark Polansky and the STS-127 crew onboard space shuttle Endeavour respond to video questions submitted on YouTube.Click on any of the links below to watch their replies:
- What's the best thing about being in space?
- What would happen if you were to fly into a black hole?
- While you're in space, what do you do in your spare time?
- Do you like your job being an astronaut? And what's it like living in space?
- If you're in a spacesuit, especially on an EVA, and you have to sneeze, how do you deal with that, especially if it splatters? Also, if your nose itches while youre in a spacesuit, how do you deal with that?
- Can you describe what an astronaut might hear in space?
- What will you be doing while we are watching the launch?
- What do you see when you look at Earth from space, and how do you feel?
- What type of experiments will you be doing when you get to the ISS?
- How do you feel being in a selective group?
- Would you like to go in space with your family if it could be safe enough?
Images From the Shuttle Mission
- STS-127: A Mission in Pictures | Universe Today
- As space shuttle Endeavour undocks from the International Space Station today (Tuesday), now is a good time to look back at the very successful STS-127.
- STS-127 Endeavour Mission | YouTube Videos
- Collection of videos showing the launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour, and the 5 space walks.
Space Shuttle Books
International Space Station on Twitter
Kopra (@Astro_Tim) recently joined the Expedition 20 crew after arriving at the orbiting laboratory July 17 aboard space shuttle Endeavour. He is set to return to Earth on the STS-128 mission, which is targeted to launch Aug. 25.
Kopra will provide followers with a unique perspective as an Expedition 20 flight engineer and member of the Army. He is an Army aviator and West Point graduate. He periodically will answer questions submitted on the Army's Web site.
This is Kopra's first spaceflight. He completed his first spacewalk July 18 during the STS-127 mission. Kopra is in orbit with station Commander Gennady Padalka and Roman Romanenko -- both Russian cosmonauts -- and NASA astronaut Mike Barratt, European Space Agency astronaut Frank DeWinne and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Bob Thirsk.

- astro_tim
- aka Col. Tim Kopra
- 18,666 followers
- 4 following
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- GMT251/06:00: Winding down for the night – now with another great crew. Undocking tomorrow. .#onorbit
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- GMT251/02:00: Closed the hatch & I’m on the shuttle w/ my former crewmates on the other side. Sad to go but good to be heading home.#onorbit
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- GMT245/06:30: Danny and Nicole did a great job on their spacewalk and most importantly got back inside safely. #onorbit
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- GMT245/02:00: Kevin and Bob have been flying the station robotic arm with both Nicole and an ammonia tank on the end. #onorbit
Apollo 11 Moon Landing
Books
The Mars Rovers

- MarsRovers
- aka Spirit and Oppy
- 148,021 followers
- 138 following
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- @greg338 Here's a labeled version with the lander circled: http://t.co/hvl8KaQP
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- @murri1972 Here's a labeled version with the lander circled: http://t.co/vpYrXWmK
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- See the 1st ever color image from orbit of Spirit's lander as a small, bright feature near Bonneville Crater: http://t.co/wlOsGBis
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- Fun Fact: Five color chips on @MarsCuriosity's camera calibration target are spares from Spirit & Oppy. http://t.co/3bTSqQiz
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- Pan & Scan: Oppy conducts radio doppler tracking in late-afternoon sun. New Mars images coming soon. http://t.co/KaOsyUb0
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- Mars' approaching winter solstice doesn't stop well-positioned Oppy from continuing science investigations: http://t.co/j1s94PHV
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- @konstk those were considered but ultimately found they would cause more harm than good by scratching the solar cells.
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- Happy anniversary, Oppy! Warrantied for 90 days, the rover starts 9th year on Mars with new investigation: http://t.co/WwCPd2KB
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- While studying rock target "Amboy,” Oppy snaps a view from her winter parking spot. Info: http://t.co/ztFeRGTO http://t.co/aHCUmEeQ
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- Oppy gets to work at "Greeley Haven," a sunny site for the rover's fifth Martian winter. Info & images: http://t.co/emzwhrGT
Thanks for checking out my Twttrlist! Feel free to Retweet it!
Reader Feedback
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maximross
Oct 31, 2011 @ 11:53 pm | delete
- Excellent idea! Love it...
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drguven
Aug 15, 2011 @ 9:33 am | delete
- Great informative content. It gives a real insight into what astronauts are actually thinking during their missions
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HSSchulte
Feb 21, 2011 @ 11:15 am | delete
- Wow, tweets from space. Very cool!
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MissMerFaery
Jan 23, 2011 @ 7:38 am | delete
- Fantastic! I love to find interesting people to follow on Twitter, and tweets from space are right up there! Really enjoyed reading this. Blessed!
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ShamanicShift Sep 26, 2010 @ 6:46 pm | delete
- Scientific fun--great idea for a lens--great lens, as usual.
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seosolutions
Dec 14, 2009 @ 7:51 pm | delete
- I like it! Would so love to go in to space on day =]
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JoyfulPamela
Nov 12, 2009 @ 10:23 am | delete
- Cool ~ very cool!
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misserika
Aug 10, 2009 @ 3:15 am | delete
- My greatest frustration is to be in space as an astronaut. I followed Astro_Mike on Twitter and it feels like I'm with him all the way! Thanks for sharing more lists of Astro Twitterers!
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NAIZA Aug 2, 2009 @ 9:31 pm | delete
- This is so awesome. To fly in space is very fascinating. I loved it. :)
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dannystaple
Jul 31, 2009 @ 10:04 am | delete
- Superb lens fluff - although one of those vids is private so we can't watch it. I loved the Q & A vids.
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Resources
- STS-125: Final Shuttle Mission to Hubble Space Telescope
- Veteran astronaut Scott D. Altman will command the final space shuttle mission to Hubble. Retired Navy Capt. Gregory C. Johnson will serve as pilot. Mission specialists include veteran spacewalkers John M. Grunsfeld and Michael J. Massimino and first-time space fliers Andrew J. Feustel, Michael T. Good and K. Megan McArthur.
- Astronaut Bio: Michael J. Massimino (10/2008)
- Astronaut Biography: Michael J. Massimino
- STS-127 Mission to the International Space Station
- Mark L. Polansky will command the shuttle Endeavour for STS-127. Douglas G. Hurley will serve as the pilot. Mission specialists are Christopher J. Cassidy, Thomas H. Marshburn, David A. Wolf and Julie Payette, a Canadian Space Agency astronaut.
- Astronaut Bio: Mark Polansky (5/2009)
- Astronaut Biography: Mark Polansky
- International Space Station (NASA)
- Details about NASA's missions to and on the International Space Station.
- Astronaut Bio: Timothy L. Kopra (7/2009)
- Astronaut Biography: Timothy L. Kopra
by thefluffanutta
I write about what I know, and I build tools for Lensmasters at SquidUtils.com. Read more about me on my Lensography, and follow me on twitter. more »
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