Winners include the JPL-managed “Send Your Name to Mars” campaign, NASA’s Global Climate Change website and Solar System Interactive.
NASA today received four 2020 Webby awards, highlighting the agency’s diverse digital offerings in websites, social media and apps across its broad programs.
“We are very pleased that these awards show the diversity of our digital communications,” said Bettina Inclán, NASA’s associate administrator for communication. “We won for websites, social media, videos and apps. With awards going to NASA Headquarters and three field centers, they also show the whole agency’s commitment to effective digital communication.”
NASA’s four Webby Award winners are:
- NASA Moon Tunes — NASA’s Johnson Space Center solicited songs for a playlist to accompany astronauts on their three-day trip to the Moon during the Artemis program, winning for Social Media in Culture & Lifestyle. More than 1 million submissions helped build the final playlist. Moon Tunes also won the People’s Voice award in its category.
- Send Your Name to Mars — NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory invited members of the public to send their names to Mars aboard the Perseverance rover; a record 10.9 million people did. The campaign won for Best Social Community Building and Engagement. “Send Your Name to Mars” also won the People’s Voice award in its category.
- NASA’s social media, managed by NASA’s Office of Communications, won its second straight Webby for Best Overall Social Presence. NASA’s flagship accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have tens of millions of followers, and the social media team regularly answers questions from the public via its #AskNASA video series and Reddit “Ask Me Anything” programs.
- “NASA Explorers: Cryosphere” — The “NASA Explorers” digital series from the Goddard Space Flight Center highlights NASA’s scientific research around the world. The of “NASA Explorers” focused on research into the cryosphere, Earth’s icy reaches. The series has 1.5 million views, and Claire Parkinson, one of the featured scientists, is now a finalist for a Samuel J. Heyman Service to America award.
Two other digital efforts were voted the People’s Voice winner: NASA’s Climate Change website and Solar System Interactive, which allows users to view the solar system from a variety of perspectives, including spacecraft.
- NASA’s Global Climate Change (website nominee for Green) — This JPL-managed site tracks real-time data about how Earth’s climate is changing. The site has received six nominations, winning two Webbys and two People’s Voice awards.
- Solar System Interactive — Also from JPL, this site shows the current relative location of planets and other bodies, including spacecraft. It was nominated in the Education & Reference category of Apps, Mobile and Voice.
“Our goal is to set the standard for innovation by creating digital experiences that engage, educate and inspire,” said Michael Greene, director of Communications and Education at JPL. “We are honored that these efforts are being recognized by the Webby and the People’s Voice awards.”
NASA received 12 nominations this year, a record for the agency. Its other nominees included:
- NASA Astronaut Reaction GIFs (Best Photograpy and Graphics) — NASA’s Johnson Space Center created a series of reaction GIFs with an astronaut for public use.
- Rolling Stones on Mars (Best Influencer Endorsement) — NASA named a rock that appeared to have been moved by the thrusters of NASA’s Mars InSight lander as it settled onto Mars. The campaign received 19 million social engagements.
- NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration (website nominee for Weird and Science) — The site lets internet users explore planets beyond our solar system, called exoplanets. It won a People’s Voice Award in 2018.
- NASA Home and City (Government and Civil Innovation) — The new, upgraded interactive website lets users explore how NASA technology is in their home and around the world. A previous version of the site won a Webby in the Government category in 2010.
- The “Down to Earth” video series, in which astronauts talk about their perspective on Earth from space, was nominated in the Science & Education video category.
NASA had three honorees in addition to the nominees:
- How the Visually Impaired Experience Hubble Images (Video) — The book “Touch the Universe” by Noreen Grice features some of Hubble’s most well-known photographs, but all of these photos were specially made to include everyone.
- NASA JPL-edu Teachable Moments — Teachable Moments harness the latest space missions and discoveries from NASA to help educators engage students in STEM with educational explainers, lessons and activities.
- NASA.gov (Government and Civil Innovation) — NASA’s home page has previously received three Webby Awards and 11 People’s Voice awards.
Established in 1996, The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. In 2019, there were more than 13,000 entries, and more than 3 million votes were cast for the People’s Voice awards.
