Soft Power: NASA Soars – And Crashes – On The Same Day

The Power Of Ten: Meet The 10 Winners Of NASA’s 10th Annual Space Apps Challenge
“The level of global participation and team dynamics underscored NASA’s efforts to ensure that the Space Apps Challenge community reflected the level of diversity that exists globally. The challenges spanned a wide range of topics, talents, and interests creating an environment where anyone and everyone could participate and add value. Of the participating 4,534 teams, 37 teams were selected as finalists, 20 teams received honorable mention status, and 10 teams were announced as the global winners.”
Keith’s note: Cool stuff. NASA’s global reach is unparalleled. Space Apps reaches people that might not ever have a chance to interact with space technology – thus leaving a positive impression of NASA – and of America. This is soft power projection at its finest. You’d think that NASA would be working to do this everywhere that it can. Guess again.
Some of these tweets about the Artemis Accords from the State Department – @SciDiplomacyUSA and @usunvie – have been up for over 7 hours. Others have been up for several days. You’d think that NASA OIIR or someone at NASA PAO – someone paying attention to broader White House policy objectives – would pay attention to these free chances to advance NASA’s soft power projection. A simple retweet by @NASA would reach over 52 million followers. Globally. Guess again.
NASA is scattered when it comes to using its best assets for global reach. One moment they excel. The next moment they flop – miserably.