wmw999 2,573 #1 January 10, 2013 Great video Houston Chronicle story by Eric Berger:QuoteEric Sim didn't come to Johnson Space Center to become an Internet sensation. But the junior form North Carolina State University is now one all the same after the internet video he and other students produced about activities at the center became NASA's most popular video on its YouTube site. A parody of the wildly popular "Gangnam Style" video by the South Korean rapper Psy, "NASA Johnson Style" has attracted more than 4 million views. It has also reinforced for the agency the importance of using social media -- such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook -- and a dash of creativity to reach a wider audience. "It tells the story in a fun way," said John Yembrick, social media manager at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. "Sometimes NASA sucks the cool out of things by being too technical in how we communicate, and this is something a bunch of people probably sat around this computers, watched, and they learned something from it. NASA has had other success in social media. The agency's official Twitter feed, @NASA, received a Shorty Award for the best government use of social media in 2012. The student-produced video takes viewers around the Clear Lake-area campus, interacts with astronauts and provides an overview of the activities at the space center after the space shuttle's retirement. "What the team wanted to do was to get rid of the myth that NASA is not doing a whole lot right now," said Veronica Seyl, manager of Johnson Space Center's Career Exploration Program. "We have so much going on. This allows the public to see what we're doing in a different light." And it was entirely the brainchild of college students like Sim. He and about 150 others are participating in the agency's Pathways Intern Program, spending half of their college tenure at the center working on projects. About 90 percent of graduates go on to work at NASA. "I'm definitely hoping to do that," Sim said. "The reason I went in to aerospace engineering is because working at NASA was a childhood dream for me." The song -- with lyrics written by students and approved by the agency's public affairs office -- only took a day to record. Filming and editing took about four weeks. Sim said other "Gangnam Style" parody videos had done well on YouTube, so he was hopeful the agency's video would get some attention. "We kind of were thinking in the back of our minds that it would take off, but nonetheless we were very pleasantly surprised by how well it's done," he said. The space center's new director, Ellen Ochoa, said she'd like to inspire the kind of passion Sim has for NASA in other bright students. "We're always looking for new ways to get information about what we're doing to a larger audience," she said. "With this video I just got myself a very effective marketing tool to recruit the best and the brightest." Wendy P.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NewGuy2005 53 #2 January 10, 2013 That was great!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davjohns 1 #3 January 10, 2013 NASA is well known for their efforts to promote themselves. Even requests for grade school visits to NASA facilities have to include a media plan. More media usually equates to a safer budget.I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet.. But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #4 January 10, 2013 Too bad our space program has to rely on self promotion so much. I guess I'm a big fan of space exploration and am disappointed more people don't support it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #5 January 10, 2013 ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coreece 190 #6 January 10, 2013 I Personally blame NASA for Gangnam Style...They should've left PSY back on whatever planet they abducted him from.Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #7 January 10, 2013 Quote I Personally blame NASA for Gangnam Style...They should've left PSY back on whatever planet they abducted him from. "There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davjohns 1 #8 January 11, 2013 I hate to be one of those who let you down, but I'm not a fan. When we figure out how to manage this planet, then I'll be ok with moving to others. Right now, I'm not sure we have anything worth exporting to other planets.I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet.. But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coreece 190 #9 January 11, 2013 QuoteI hate to be one of those who let you down, but I'm not a fan. When we figure out how to manage this planet, then I'll be ok with moving to others. Right now, I'm not sure we have anything worth exporting to other planets. I certainly can agree with you.... ...but we need continual progress so that we're ready to go when either we get our shit together or the shit hits the fan.Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #10 January 11, 2013 QuoteQuoteI hate to be one of those who let you down, but I'm not a fan. When we figure out how to manage this planet, then I'll be ok with moving to others. Right now, I'm not sure we have anything worth exporting to other planets. I certainly can agree with you.... ...but we need continual progress so that we're ready to go when either we get our shit together or the shit hits the fan. I think eventually space WILL become a unified priority. It HAS to if our species wants to continue. We've learned more about who we are and how we got here in the last 30 years than in the previous 3000. IF we are the only form of life that's evolved to the point of self-awareness that HAS to be protected...and if we're not, that would be good to know. I do agree with getting our shit together though...if we were more concerned with what's 'out there', we might stop killin' each other...get people fed, educated and working together. We SHOULD have people living on Mars by now...at least! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coreece 190 #11 January 11, 2013 Quote we might stop killin' each other. we will, no doubt once America is finished planting it's seeds of passive imperialism and separates the tares from the wheat. Cliche warning: It's gonna get worse before it gets better.Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #12 January 11, 2013 Cliche warning: It's gonna get worse before it gets better. Unfortunately...I think you're right. ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
