NASA and the Inauguration

Today is the public ceremony marking the second inauguration of President Obama.  True, he was officially sworn in yesterday, but that was a private event.  Today, he is taking advantage of a public holiday, Martin Luther King's Birthday, which gives the occasion added significance, for the public swearing in and all the festivities that surround it.  One of the governmental agencies involved is NASA, as this video from NASA Television on YouTube highlights.

Inauguration Weekend on This Week @NASA

Two Open Houses at Headquarters in Washington kicked off NASA's participation in the city's Presidential Inaugural activities. Public visitors to the James Webb Auditorium could hear from Administrator Charles Bolden, Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and other agency officials about NASA's current and future plans, programs and missions. Also, Bigelow's BEAM; ESA and Orion; Curiosity Update; Robotic Refueling; Next ISS Mission; Monitoring Air Quality; Draper Medal Winner; and more!

Space.com lists more events related to the inauguration in NASA's Presidential Inaugural Weekend Event Schedule, along with a link to a live UStream window, and has a slideshow of President Obama at NASA.  Space.com also has more details on NASA's participation in the Inaugural Parade in NASA's 'Mohawk Guy' to March in Obama's Inaugural Parade by Miriam Kramer.

When President Barack Obama takes his oath of office to begin his second term Monday, NASA will be there.

NASA's famed "Mohawk Guy" Bobak Ferdowsi will march in the Presidential Inaugural Parade on Monday (Jan. 21) along with life-size replicas of the space agency's Mars rover Curiosity and Orion space capsule.

Ferdowsi is a flight director at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory whose unique hairdo catapulted him to Internet fame after the spectacular Mars rover Curiosity landing last year.

NASA Television has more in NASA Preps for Inaugural Parade.

Video of preparations at the Joint Base Anacostia Bolling in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 19 for the two NASA floats scheduled to appear in Monday's Presidential Inaugural Parade. The floats will feature full-scale models of NASA's Orion, the multi-purpose capsule that will take our astronauts farther into space than ever, and the Curiosity rover now on Mars.

Follow over the jump for two more videos from NASA Television showing the other Inauguration-related events that have already happened.

NASA Star Party Helps Celebrate Inauguration

Video of a NASA star gazing "party" at the David M. Brown Planetarium in Arlington, Va. on Jan. 19. Free and open to the public, the event featured astronomers, astronauts, and other experts answering questions about the night sky. Telescopes were provided; planetarium shows were also held.

NASA Helps Kick Off Inaugural Weekend with Morning Open House

Members of the public join with social media followers at NASA Headquarters on Jan. 18 to learn about present and future NASA missions. Topics in the morning's panel sessions include NASA leadership discussing the future of human spaceflight and the importance of technology innovation to our future.

Happy MLK Day and enjoy the festivities!