While giveaways and “follow us and win!” contests aren’t always worth calling out, this promotion from @NASA is too great to pass up. They’re planning on inviting 150 of their followers to watch the Curiosity Mars Rover launch. Yes, the actual launch, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The tweetup will take place just prior to the launch window, which begins at 10:21 a.m. EST on Nov. 25. That is, of course, the day after Thanksgiving, which is a NASA holiday. So activities commence on the 23rd and you can forage around Orlando for spare turkeys. You’ll return for the launch on the 25th, and you’re welcome to stick around for up to an extra 24 hours if the launch is delayed by bad weather or sabotage.
Note that this trip is not paid for! You will be invited to the launch and will have a chance to tour the facility and rub elbows with NASA staff, but you’re responsible for your flight and accommodation. What, you think they have room in their budget to put up 150 freeloaders for three nights?
Registration opens at noon eastern time on October 5th and ends on the 7th. You have to have a Twitter account to win, which sadly leaves me out. They’ll be releasing updates and registration info with the hashtag #NASAtweetup, so keep an eye out.