Posts tagged ‘Micro-Blogging’

NASA Wallops embraces micro-blogging

19 May, 2009, 20:44 by Glen Salmon

I’m still on the sidelines when it comes to Twitter. I have an account but I am not very active. that is not to say I don’t use Twitter, I just don’t tweet very often. So, if I don’t tweet, and I’m not logged into Twitter, how do I use it ?

Let’s start with two related concepts. First – Twitter has been identified as “micro-blogging”. Second, nearly all blogging solutions have support for feeds built right in. Twitter is no different.

Rather than follow a Twitter-er through Twitter or SMS, or one of the many clients, you can use a feed reader. Further, those feeds can be processed using filter services like FeedRinse or software like Yahoo Pipes.. These allow you to reduce the total Twitter flow down to just messages that fit your criteria.

Thus far we have a Twitter feed, a filter service, and a feed reader. That represents the “output engineering”. But it doesn’t need to stop there. What about automating the input ? Here is where there are some interesting uses for micro-blogging. Let me give you an example.

This evening at 7:55PM EDT, a four stage rocket was launched from NASA’s Wallops Flight facility. In addition to having a viewing facility, there was also a live streaming video feed. There was also a Twitter feed. Here is an excerpt …

  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:18:35:25EDT: 6:35 p.m. We are T-60 minutes and counting for launch of the Air Force Research LabTacSat-3 satellite on an Air Force Minotaur 1 rocket from Wallops Island. The Coast Guard is clearing some boats in the avoidance area. The target launch time is 7:35 p.m. The launch window runs to 11:30 p.m.
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:19:05:01EDT: 7:05p.m. T-30 minutes and counting. No issues for range,rocket or spacecraft. Range is clear.
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:19:20:27EDT: 7:20 p.m. T-15 minutes and holding. Boat in the range.
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:19:34:24EDT: New launch time is 7:55 p.m.
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:19:39:53EDT: T-15 minutes and counting.
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:19:45:05EDT: 7:45 T-10 minutes and counting
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:19:50:04EDT: 7:50 T-5 minutes and counting.Go for launch
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:19:53:00EDT: T-2 minutes
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:19:54:09EDT: 50 seconds
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:19:54:31EDT: 30 seconds
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:19:54:59EDT: launch
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:19:58:20EDT: 3rd stage burn
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:19:58:54EDT: all systems nominal 3rd stage burnout
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:20:04:03EDT: 4th stage ignition
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:20:04:18EDT: systems nominal
  • NASA_Wallops – 2009-05-19:20:08:41EDT: TacSat-3 deployed

In this case, the Tweets were actually messages direct from the RCC. Those messages were submitted to Twitter using their public interfaces.

It was a very effective use of Twitter and micro-blogging technology … and a spectacular launch !

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