The Social Gooze

On the morning of September 21, Californians stepped outside of their houses, workplaces, and schools to witness history. For one last time, the Space Shuttle Endeavour flew up in the air. It was the last of the space shuttle fleet to do so.

This final flight was atop a massive 747 aircraft and cruised at low altitude flybys over the state’s famous landmarks and cities. En route to Los Angeles International airport, California was the final leg of a journey across the United States to the shuttle’s retirement home at the California Science Center.

The event was big hit online. The official hashtag #SpotTheShuttle gathered thousands of tags on Twitter and Instagram. Thanks to the now most popular photo-sharing app, science enthusiasts can browse snapshots of the historic moment through the eyes of others. Crowd-sourcing win for those who have the time. That doesn’t count the photo uploads on Facebook shared among friends.

According to Tweet Reach, which measures how far tweets travel, #SpotTheShuttle is still earning mentions on the micro-blogging site. That’s most likely because, in about a week, it’ll be pulled through the streets of Los Angeles to its California Science Center home. Unfortunately, despite previous promises, the public will only get a few chances to spot it.