NASAWatch is 20
NASA Watch Celebrates 20 Years of Critiquing the Space Agency’s Every. Single. Move., Inverse
“Today, NASA Watch, the website that unabashedly critiques the U.S. space agency, turns 20 years old, and its founder Keith Cowing says they’ll keep making “fun of NASA given an opportunity to do so.” The site is respected (and resented, as Cowing will be the first to admit he is a thorn in many people’s sides) by space fanatics, scientists, journalists, and NASA officials.”
Keith’s note: NASAWatch turns 20 on 1 Apr 2016. It started as “NASA RIFWatch” on 1 Apr 1996 and was first hosted on a Mac Classic II on an ISDN line (see 20 Years Ago Today: The Seeds of NASAWatch). Here a few things from those early days that are still online:
– Rogue Webmasters, Government Executive, 1 Oct 1996
– NASA’s Most Important Asset, Gerry Griffin, 31 December 1996
– Dan Goldin Comments to the Space Science Advisory Committee (SSAC) Meeting, 6/17/96
– Changes in Thinking At NASA November 29, 1996, PBS News Hour
Just to show you how things have changed, this photo should shock a few of you … (well worth a click) – and no, it is not an April Fool’s joke. Today, some up and coming bloggers and digeratti love to throw snark at me just like I threw it at Dan Goldin back in the day. Life is funny like that.
Those of you who have followed my ‘other’ exploits will know that I have had a certain interest in doing online updates from distant and extreme locations (Devon Island, Everest Base Camp, etc.). This website (still online), “The McMurdo Dry Valleys Long-Term Research Project – Life in Extreme Environments; An Antarctic Field Journal“, done with my friend Dale Andersen, was one of the very earliest websites actually updated from Antarctica.
People have been asking me to look back on things and pick the events that are most memorable. After all I have spent 1/3 of my life running this thing. I have been given many chances to do things because of my peculiar notoriety. This shaky video, done live with my friend Miles O’Brien – about our mutual friend Scott Parazynski – while this picture was being taken – is the one singular moment where it all came together.
Thanks to all of you for stopping by for the past 20 years.
Happy Birthday NASA Watch and Keith!!
“Just to show you how things have changed, this photo should shock a few of you “
*GASP!!* Good Lord, Keith! You’re right!!! I had no idea NASA was still using mag-tapes, even in the 21st Century!! (Which raises the follow-on… are they still?) 😉
Happy Birthday, NASA Watch!! Thanks for hanging in there, Keith!
I laughed out loud at this comment – thanks!
My first visit each day (after APOD, that is) and often the last visit each day but never missed.
Thank you, Keith.
I remember very well Rif Watch, Keith. Thank you for 20 great and informative years!
“DAN GOLDIN: NASA was formed as a development organization, research & development organization, to always push back boundaries of the unknown, not to be an operational agency, not to do routine things that are comfortable, but to always go to the edge, and to take risk.”
8B/yr on SLS/ORION/ISS — you get what you pay for.
Congrats Keith, You are an asset to NASA, the USA Space Program and the American people. Keep up the good work!
Congratulations, NASA Watch…! Now, if only you could get invited reliably to NASA press events… (LOL!) Looking forward to the next 20.
Congrats Keith! This forum has filled a “Huuuuugh” communications gap at NASA. I remember the first time I visited RIF Watch, in the very early days of widespread internet use and was Shocked by what I was reading since up to that time all we ever heard was the “Party Line”. Thanks Again!!
Great job NASA watch. Keep the irons in the fire.
NW provides a very valuable service. you alert the community to the issues and there is no other means to talk truth to power, or to just have an open discussion.
Keith thanks for a great 20 years!
Great job Keith! Here’s to 20 more years!
Congratulation on twenty years of excellence, Keith. Just sorry you couldn’t get Dan to wear the Spock ears for that photo.
Your readers are all 20 years older, too. But we have a much deeper and truer sense of the actual details of the journey thanks to your vigilance. Thanks!
Thanks for a site that IMHO is an example of true journalist endeavour. Keep up the great work.
Cheers
Neil
Well done, Keith! Keep on stirring!
Congratulations! The first 20 are the hardest, given you had to go thru your teen years! Looking forward to adulthood.
Dunno. I sorta enjoy Keith’s cranky adolescence.