Space shuttle Atlantis with it crew of six astronauts lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 16, 2009. Credit: NASA TV

According to News reports, blogs, and tweets from all over the web - NASA’s social media strategy around the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis has been a success.  Even better is the energy brought by the 100 enthusiastic Tweeters who attended.   The Orlando Sentinel writes:

Generally, you don’t hear a lot of cheering here at the press site at the Kennedy Space Center.

But there’s a whole different vibe today thanks to the 100 Twitter users NASA is hosting for a tweetup.

The event began on Sunday when the group heard from astronauts, NASA officials and others.

For today’s 2:28 p.m. launch, the tweeters are set up inside a giant tent in the parking lot of the press site. They’re seated at long rows tapping away on laptops and cell phones, snapping photos and shooting video. There’s Wi-Fi and plenty of power outlets, making it easy for the group to share their experience with the world.

Five time Olympian Dara Torres who is on Twitter (@daratorresswims) and also attended the Space Shuttle Launch wrote on her Twitter account:

WAY, WAY WAY cooler than winning an Olympic medal!! http://yfrog.com/702bqj

Just spoke to a group of NASA tweeps, cool peeps and nix mtg them all!!

To get the scoop on the day’s events, visit Twitter and search on the hashtag #NASATweetup.  Or, as written on the Mashable blog earlier today:

There’s the NASATweetup Twitter account, as well as their Twitter list of tweetup attendees that you can follow for real-time, first-hand accounts as the shuttle blasts off into space.