NASA is joining the streaming bandwagon with the announcement of its upcoming service, NASA+. This ad-free, no-cost streaming platform will offer live coverage of future launches, exclusive documentaries, and original series.
Marc Etkind, NASA’s associate administrator of communications, said in a statement, “We’re putting space on demand and at your fingertips with NASA’s new streaming platform. Transforming our digital presence will help us better tell the stories of how NASA explores the unknown in air and space, inspires through discovery, and innovates for the benefit of humanity.”
NASA+ is set to be accessible via the NASA app available on iOS and Android devices, as well as on streaming platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV. The service will also be available on the web through NASA’s new beta website. This revamped online presence aims to provide a topic-driven experience with information regarding the agency’s missions and research, climate data, Artemis updates, and more. The updated nasa.gov and science.nasa.gov websites will feature a unified search engine and integrated navigation.
Currently, NASA utilizes NASA TV for its video content and launch streams, running a 24/7 content slate on both the NASA site and YouTube. The launch of its own streaming service marks a move towards providing a dedicated space for viewers to access its content.
NASA CIO Jeff Seaton stated that modernizing the agency’s primary websites and streamlining public engagement with its online content are the initial steps towards making NASA’s information “more accessible, discoverable and secure.”
While it’s currently unclear what the streaming service’s interface will look like, it’s anticipated that it will bear similarities to other modern streaming services given the agency’s focus on modernizing and streamlining its content.
