NASA to Host Google Hangout on Space Station

By Gilbert Falso :: 5:32 AM

NASA is planning its first Google+ Hangout live on the International Space Station from 11 a.m. to noon EST, on Friday, Feb. 22.

This event will allow NASA’s social media followers to connect with with astronauts on the ground as well as astronauts living and working aboard the science laboratory orbiting 240 miles above the Earth.

Google+ Hangouts allow up to 10 people to chat face-to-face, but thousands more can tune in to watch the conversation live through Google+ or YouTube.

NASA’s social media followers have been asked to submit video questions prior to the Hangout, and during the event, several video questions will be selected and answered by the station crew and astronauts on the ground. The agency says that unique and original questions are more likely to be selected. In addition, NASA plans to take real-time questions submitted by fans via Twitter and Facebook.

Fans must submit video questions by Feb. 12th. To be considered, clips must be no longer than 30 seconds and have to be uploaded to YouTube and tagged with the #askAstro tag.

NASA also encourages the use of the #askAstro tag to ask real-time questions on Google+, YouTube or Twitter during the event. On the morning of the 22nd, NASA will open a thread on its Facebook page where questions can be posted.

To join the hangout, and for updates and opportunities to participate in upcoming hangouts, visit the NASA’s Google+ page at:
http://www.google.com/+NASA

NASA astronauts Kevin Ford and Tom Marshburn as well as Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency will answer questions and provide insights about life on board the space station. Station crews conduct a variety of experiments and perform station maintenance during their six-month stay on the cosmic outpost.