March 05, 2009

Ashley Edwards/Grey Hautaluoma
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1756/0668
ashley.edwards-1{at}nasa.gov,
grey.hautaluoma-1{at}nasa.gov
RELEASE: 09-048

NASA HOSTS 'MISSION MADNESS' TOURNAMENT TO VOTE ON GREATEST MISSION

WASHINGTON - March means tournament time for college basketball fans,
and NASA wants to make sure space exploration fans aren't left out of
the action. So, beginning March 9, the agency kicks off NASA's 2009
Mission Madness tournament.

This interactive Internet online feature enables you to share your
opinion about the agency's greatest missions. Space fans will be able
to view a lineup of 64 missions, learn about their goals, and predict
which missions fellow exploration fans will vote for during this
bracket-style, single elimination tournament.

The Mission Madness tournament provides key matchups between 16 past,
present and future missions in each of four divisions -- Nebula,
Stellar, Galaxy and Horizon. Round one features 32 predetermined
matches. Visitors to the tournament Web site can learn about the
missions chosen for the competition, print out a bracket and make
predictions. Voting for round one begins March 19, and the first
Mission Madness championship winner will be determined on April 8.

Each round consists of two days of online voting. Fans will be able
to
vote for their favorite missions as many times as they like while
polls are open. At the conclusion of each round, the winning missions
advance in head-to-head competition, allowing fans to see how their
predictions compare to those of other voters.

NASA EDGE, an unscripted, non-traditional video podcast team that
highlights all things NASA in a unique and youthful way, created and
developed the tournament in an effort to generate new and fresh
discussion about NASA's most historic, successful and inspiring
missions.

NASA EDGE hosts Chris Giersch, Blair Allen, Franklin Fitzgerald and
special guest Jacky Cortez will be joined by three Mission Madness
analysts. Miles O'Brien, former CNN reporter, Melvin Ferebee of
NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., and Keith Cowing of
the blog NASA Watch, will provide their opinions about the how early
rounds will develop and which missions will remain competitive deep
into the tournament.

To be a part of NASA's 2009 Mission Madness tournament, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/missionmadness

To comment about the Mission Madness tournament, visit the NASA EDGE
blog at:

http://blogs.nasa.gov/nasaedge

To learn more about NASA EDGE, click on:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcasting/nasaedge

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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