There are a number of technologies whose origins could be found in NASA’s history books. But microblogging most definitely is not one of them. Still, the space agency has developed its own little fascination with Twitter, and Veronica McGregor, the news services manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is spending her evenings channeling the Phoenix Mars lander to speak to 10,565-plus followers, 140 characters at a time, according to Kenneth Chang of The New York Times.
What does she - ahem, Phoenix - speak of, you ask? Stuff. Facts. Humorous notes. Anything short and simple, really. Just a few minutes ago this message was delivered:
"Descent thrusters moved the topsoil during landing, uncovering the ice table. The pic was taken for engineers to check my legs, and voila!"
While NASA covers its missions to quite a detailed degree, sharing photos, videos, logs, educational materials for the perusal of just about anyone outside Mission Control, it hasn’t been known to take up “the tweet” in any official or semi-official capacity. Alas, there’s a first time for everything.
@MarsPhoenix has been actively chatting with Twitter folk for some weeks now, well before touchdown on the red planet. Yet, in that time it’s amassed a five-figure following. More interesting, perhaps, it follows nobody and no thing. Zero. Nada. Is this a play at the age-old “lead, don’t follow” mantra? Or is it Phoenix’s polar solitude amid ice, sand, and dust? But hey, distance shouldn’t stop the lander from making friends. We’re a wireless people now. At the very least, the solar-powered sampler should add a little one-two for its fellow Earth-born inhabitants, Spirit and Opportunity.
We at Mashable wouldn't mind a hookup either, of course. If you'd like to follow what we here on Rock #3 are saying, these are the links.