America Lands Mars Curiosity, Meets Bobak Ferdowsi

Mohawk + NASA + Twitter = Swoon.

Activity lead Bobak Ferdowsi, works inside the Spaceflight Operations Facility for NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover at Jet Propulsion Laboratory on August 5, 2012 in Pasadena, California, and was the hero of Twitter during the Mars Curiosity landing.

Image by Pool / Getty Images

Bobak Ferdowsi works for NASA and is a flight director on the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity mission. Few people — fewer than 200 on Twitter — knew him before Sunday night. He cuts his hair differently for each mission, though, and tonight he became known. With a mohawk featuring maroon highlights and shaved stars on the side, Ferdowsi came only second in attention paid to the Mars Curiosity rover landing itself. He went from 200 followers to more than 8,000 10,000 during and after NASA’s livestream of the landing, which was shown live on several cable news networks as well.

And, he tweets sweet tweets:

Bobak F. @tweetsoutloud

So incredible to be a part of this team and all that we've accomplished. Impossible not to be an emotional wreck. #msl #jpl #nasa #curiosity

5:51 AM - 6 Aug 12

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Here’s more Bobak …

5. Meme Bobak

Via: fuckyeahbobakferdowsi.tumblr.com

6. Tweeted-Photo Bobak

Via: @tweetsoutloud

7. Smiling Bobak

8. Nervous Bobak

9. Teamwork Bobak

10. Busy Bobak

11. Talking Bobak

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=qnSA3xzrh-w.

Source: youtube.com

12. Celebrating Bobak

UPDATE: Ferdowsi noted his new-found Internet fame in a late-night tweet:

Bobak F. @tweetsoutloud

Internet, you win this round. I'll be back later, but thanks so much. Now going to celebrate with all my friends and team! #msl

7:17 AM - 6 Aug 12

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MORE FROM BOBAK: The BuzzFeed interview. Yes, really.