I have an irrational ‘thang’ for NASA.

Yes, I am an unabashed NASA groupie, making up for lost space adventures one NASA-First at a time.

Growing up in the Third World during the 1960s, I missed the entire Space Race. The Cold War was going great guns in our backyard, but we were lucky if we could get BBC on our giant shortwave radio. Watching moon landings on little black and white TVs would have to wait until I grew up and experienced it all in movies.

Living in a connected world now, it’s been fun watching NASA sashay (and sometimes schlepp) its way over to the Cool Kids Table, and then totally take it over.

Don’t get me wrong; I cried real tears when SpaceX brought its first stage of the Falcon 9 down for a successful soft landing on December 21, 2015. And when the Falcon Heavy absolutely nailed a triple-rocket vertical landing….

Well, you get the idea. SpaceX is OK by me. But NASA…

Man–NASA’s got soul.

And this Friday, October 18, at approximately 06:50 AM Eastern time, NASA TV will begin coverage of yet another historic first: Astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir will spacewalk outside the International Space Station beginning at about 07:50 AM to replace a power controller that failed during the weekend.

This spacewalk will be the first ever to be conducted by two women.

I will be wide awake at 03:50 AM Baja Time with popcorn and champagne to cheer them on!

Come join me!

And now for some cool NASA links!