Shareef Jackson '02, a Brown Engineering alumnus, is one of 150 tweeps chosen from more than 4,000 applicants scheduled to live tweet during the launch of the space shuttle Endeavor. You can follow him on Twitter @ShareefJackson.
While looking back on his childhood, thirty-year-old Shareef Jackson always wanted to enjoy a summer at space camp while growing up, but he just never made it.
“I’ve always been a sciency-person. I loved it as a kid, I did engineering in colleges, took a lot of astronomy classes,” he says.
His passion for astronomy continues to develop through his adult life, and in February, he started a space and technology blog from his home in West Philadelphia.
While he still wishes he could go back to his childhood and pretend to be walking on the moon at camp, he never could have imagined winning something even more out of this world: a pass to the shuttle launch of the Endeavor in Florida.
“It’s a good example of government engaging with citizens, trying to really engage in society,” he says.
Jackson is among 149 other tweeps who were randomly selected of approximately 4,000 applicants to live tweet during the launch, as well as “with the opportunity to tour the center, view the shuttle launch and speak with NASA managers, astronauts, shuttle technicians and engineers. The event also will provide participants the opportunity to meet fellow tweeps and NASA’s social media team,” according to NASA’s website.
The chosen tweeps must pay for their own travel expenses and accommodations, but he says it’s totally worth it.
“When I first started my blog, my first post was called, Lift Off. I wrote that I would go to a shuttle launch someday, but I really didn’t expect it to be this soon.”
Space Shuttle Endeavour is slated to launch on April 29th. Be sure to follow Jackson on Twitterhere, and Philly Weekly here.
- courtesy of Matthew Petrillo/PhillyNow (originally published 4/5/11)
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