GeekDad

NASA to Launch High School Students' Satellite

October 31, 2013Karen Burnham1

NASA plans to launch a small satellite designed by students at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia.

Government Shutdown: Frozen Scientific Research

October 16, 2013Helene McLaughlin2

The government shutdown, from a GeekMom point of view.

The Ups and Downs of an Education in Microgravity

September 5, 2013Gfnadmin1

In this guest post, Leo Camacho, from Google Lunar XPrize, talks about his experience with Boise State University and preparing for a microgravity flight.

Have Geeklets, Will Travel: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility

August 13, 2013Melissa Ford

For 12 years, we’ve been holding Wallops Island as our rainy day activity. After year after year of cloudless sky, we wondered if we’d ever get to the NASA visitor’s center. But our last trip to Chincoteague, Virginia found us driving over the causeway with the window wipers going full blast as we finally cashed in to see what happens just a few miles from our favorite vacation spot.

Become a NASA Image Detective

July 26, 2013Karen Burnham

Older kids can learn about geography by analyzing photos that NASA astronauts take of the Earth.

Meet S/2004 N 1, Neptune’s Newly Discovered Moon

July 16, 2013Ariane Coffin

On July 15th, NASA announced the discovery of Neptune’s 14th moon.

Remembering Apollo 11: A Legacy of Bravery and Exploration

July 16, 2013Tom Fassbender

44 years ago today, Apollo 11 launched from the Kennedy Space Center.

Get Mentored by a NASA Employee… Sorry, Kids Only!

June 25, 2013Ariane Coffin

After a successful pilot year in 2012, the 5-week online mentoring program NASA GIRLS is back and bigger than ever, with an expansion to NASA BOYS no less! Applications are due July 2nd.

Space Jam: Not Just For Bugs Bunny

June 13, 2013Sarah Pinault

As Jam from Maine gets ready to fly off to the Space Station, GeekMom Sarah wonders what she would want to munch on while staring down at the earth below.

Weekly GeekMom Video Playlist

June 7, 2013Cathé Post

Summer vacation is here! Or, it is looming in the not-so-distant future. Either way, kids are getting edgy and are requesting video suggestions to keep them entertained for a few minutes. So, this week’s video playlist features videos the GeekMom writers’ kids enjoy.

Watch the TableTop Gang Play Forbidden Island … If You Dare

May 30, 2013Dave Banks

Wil and friends get together to play the awesome cooperative risk management game Forbidden Island on this week’s episode of Geek & Sundry’s TableTop.

Hangout with Astronauts Today

May 23, 2013December 14, 2017Helene McLaughlin

Today, May 23rd, from 3-4 PM EDT, you can join a NASA hosted Google+ hangout with three of the former International Space Station (ISS) astronauts. NASA astronauts Kevin Ford and Tom Marshburn and Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency are back home in Houston, Texas, and undergoing physical rehabilitation after their recent return from their extended time in the nearly weightless environment.

Welcome Home, Hadfield, Marshburn, and Romanenko!

May 14, 2013December 13, 2017Jules Sherred

Last night, at 10:31 EDT, after spending 146 days in space — 144 of which were spent on board the International Space Station — and making 2,336 orbits around the planet, clocking close to 62 million miles, astronauts Chris Hadfield (Canada), Tom Marshburn (United States), and Roman Romanenko (Russia) touched down safely in southern Kazakhstan.

ISS Crew Preparing for an Emergency Spacewalk

May 10, 2013Erik Wecks3

For anyone interested in space and our space program, there is a little drama going on aboard the International Space Station. While the station’s astronauts are not in any danger, a coolant leak in one of the solar arrays has managers at NASA scrambling to reroute power to the other seven arrays and preparing for possible emergency spacewalk on Saturday. The leak is expected to force the shutdown of that solar array sometime this morning. The decision on doing a spacewalk will be made sometime late tonight. NASA TV has been covering these events on and off already, and if there is a spacewalk you will be able to watch it live. You can check in on their live stream here at GeekDad.

Meteor Shower Sunday Night: View Live or via NASA Webcast

May 5, 2013Kay Moore

During the night of Sunday, May 5, you can view the Eta Aquaarid meteor shower as our planet travels through the orbit of Halley’s comet. Go out to view it yourself, or stay inside to catch NASA’s webcast of the livestream with chat.

Join the International Space Apps Challenge This Weekend, Possibly Save the World

April 19, 2013Tim Bailey

The International Space Apps Challenge is a two-day technology development event collectively presented by NASA in collaboration with 100 partner organizations including the European Space Agency, TechShop, Raspberry Pi, and the National Science Foundation. Participants will work together, hackathon style, in a 48-hour sprint to solve challenges relevant to improving life on Earth–and in space.

Yuri’s Night Is a Time to Celebrate and Reflect on Why We Must Go Into Space

April 12, 2013Jason Cranford Teague2

Fifty-two years ago today, Yuri Gagarin pierced the veil of Earth’s fragile atmosphere in his Vostok 1 space capsule, becoming the first human being to enter “outer space.” His trip was barely even dipping the tip of a toe into the ocean, but what he began should always be remembered in the annals of human history. In 2001 George and Loretta Whitesides (nee Hidalgo) threw a party to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Yuri’s flight. That party has grown into a yearly event, with over 300 parties around the world being held today and this weekend.

NASA Concept of Asteroid Capture in Progress

NASA Budget Has Plan for Asteroid Mission, Cuts to Education

April 11, 2013Tim Bailey1

On Wednesday, NASA unveiled the President’s FY2014 budget proposal for the nation’s space program.

APOD: 2013 April 9 – NGC 3132: The Southern Ring Nebula

April 9, 2013Ken Denmead1

The Astronomy Picture of the Day is a constant source of wonder.

Looks Like We’ll Be Needing Space Miners Soon

April 7, 2013Ken Denmead1

Nifty news about upcoming space exploration.

Senator: NASA to “Lasso” Asteroid, Bring it Closer

April 6, 2013Patricia Vollmer

Imagine using an Orion Spacecraft to go “lasso” an asteroid, position it near the moon, and make it available for long-term exploration. Click through to learn more about today’s announcement.

Solar Conjunction Puts NASA’s Curiosity Rover, Orbiter In Communication Blackout

April 5, 2013December 14, 2017Patricia Vollmer

Between April 4th and May 1st, the Mars Curiosity and Opportunity will be in minimal communication with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as it experiences a Mars solar conjunction. Click through to read more about what a solar conjunction is, and what impacts it will have on JPL’s communications with the fleet of Mars exploration vehicles.

Review: foxL v2 Bluetooth Speaker System Brings the Bass

March 25, 2013Brad Moon

Soundmatters’ foxL v2 Bluetooth speaker system was developed by Dr. Godehard Guenther, a former NASA engineer. At $199 for a handheld wireless speaker system, it’s not the on the low end of the price spectrum, but it’s definitely up there …

The Sky is Falling! Asteroids and Meteors on the Same Day!

February 16, 2013Helene McLaughlin

So maybe the sky isn’t falling, but it’s quite the coincidence that an asteroid and a meteor both descended upon our little plot of the universe within about 15 hours of one another. While many skywatchers have been anxiously awaiting the close approach of Asteroid 2012 DA14, they were completely taken by surprise when a 500-ton meteor that streaked across the Russian Ural sky earlier the same day.

NASA Johnson Style (Gangnam Style Parody)

December 15, 2012Anton Olsen

I’ve seen a lot of cool things come out of NASA as they try to appeal to the next generation of scientists and engineers, but this is one of the best yet.

NASA Explains Why The World Didn’t End Yesterday, 10 Days Early

December 12, 2012Ken Denmead

NASA explains why the world will not have ended next week.

Winners of 2012 MoonBots Challenge Announced

December 12, 2012December 13, 2017Dave Banks

Winners of the 2012 MoonBots Challenge were announced this week. The competition for students uses Lego Mindstorms robots to replicate tasks of the Google Lunar X Prize.

Have you registered for the 19th Annual Great Moonbuggy Race?

December 1, 2012Helene McLaughlin

Dreaming of being an astronaut is a phase just about everyone goes through at one point in their lives. It’s a much smaller amount of people who decide to peruse that dream when they grow-up. While not everyone might go into space, everyone has the opportunity to race on the moon…. well almost. For the last 19 years, NASA has given high school and college teams from across the globe a chance to compete against each other for the title of “Greatest Moonbuggy of the Year”.

Mattel Goes to Mars With Its 2012 Collection

November 1, 2012Helene McLaughlin

This weekend my boys and I happened through the toy aisles where I spotted this amazing little gem, just sitting on a shelf. Mattel has cast a die model of the awe-inspiring NASA Mars Curiosity rover. These little rovers are likely going to be extremely collectible and won’t be in stores long.

SpaceX Completes First Delivery Trip to Space Station, Proves US Space Industry Is Still Alive

October 30, 2012December 14, 2017Tim Bailey

This week SpaceX became the first US commercial company to deliver cargo to ISS and became the world’s leader in returning cargo back to Earth from space.

Tag: NASA