NASA-TV HD Channel

[Tony Trent]

NASA-TV is starting a full time HD Channel in June 2010. I'm hoping Dish picks it up. Does anyone have any info on whteher they may? If they don't, let's all nag them to do so.

 

[KAB]

Wow. HD footage of surviving employees playing with plastic rockets and remembering the good 'ole days.

 

[Mr Tony]

NASA HD is only good for the shuttles. Thats all its used for right now
The rest would be 4:3 or stretch o vision probably

 

[Tony Trent]

There is HD from Space Station also, not just Shuttles. Some cool Earth views in HD. Also a tour of the Station. One video in particular is pretty cool, the Shuttle does a 360 around the Station with Earth in the background. I guess you have to be a space nut or a NASA fan to appreciate it.

 

[Tony Trent]

Good one KAB ROFL. Not everyone will be twiddling their thumbs and gazing fondly at model rockets. There will be soem exciting stuff happeneing in October. You'll have to wait until then to hear about ti though

 

[tedb3rd]

You can watch NASA's budgets get slashed... in HD!

 

[Jim S.]

I'd be happy if NASA just put it on Ku-band. Not everybody wants to put up a C-band dish.

 

[kstuart]

You can watch NASA's budgets get slashed... in HD!

NASA's budgets were increased.

Look it up.

It's not a money issue, despite the economy.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The nasa HD channel I get off of C Band is not a 24/7 channel, infact I h ave not seen the HD channel used much at all except during missions.

 

[Voyager6]

NASA's budgets were increased.

Look it up.

It's not a money issue, despite the economy.

Yes it seems to have been increased. However, the Constellation program will be canceled if the President's NASA budget is approved without major changes.
FY 2011 Fact Sheet

The President’s Budget cancels Constellation and replaces it with a bold new approach that invests in the building blocks of a more capable approach to space exploration that includes:(nothing for the next 8 years)

• Research and development to support future heavy-lift rocket systems that will increase the capability of future exploration architectures with significantly lower operations costs than current systems – potentially taking us farther and faster into space.
• A vigorous new technology development and test program that aims to increase the capabilities and reduce the cost of future exploration activities. NASA, working with industry, will build, fly, and test in orbit key technologies such as automated, autonomous rendezvous and docking, closed-loop life support systems, in-orbit propellant transfer, and advanced in-space propulsion so that our future human and robotic exploration missions are both highly capable and affordable.
• A steady stream of precursor robotic exploration missions to scout locations and demonstrate technologies to increase the safety and capability of future human missions and provide scientific dividends.

 

[kstuart]

So, you could still have plenty of HD programming, especially since cameras now being launched in probes are HD (you can get an HD webcam for $70, it is no longer an exotic or expensive item).

 

[Ilya]

I think live HD downlink might still be a problem though.

 

[skysurfer]

The nasa HD channel I get off of C Band is not a 24/7 channel, infact I h ave not seen the HD channel used much at all except during missions.

yes, it's part-time now, but apparently according to the original poster it will be going full-time in June (something I have yet to see a confirmation of through reports or notices elsewhere).

NASA is definitely ready to go full-time with HD - they seem to have installed a playback server/automation system recently because there has been less slate on the HD channel when it most recently was up and more replays of flight day highlights and astronaut interviews/training clips.

I bet starting in October, the HD channel will replay past shuttle HD material and add archive ISS HD material and new ISS HD material such as the tours and media events and filmed earth views.

 

[Mr Tony]

The nasa HD channel I get off of C Band is not a 24/7 channel, infact I h ave not seen the HD channel used much at all except during missions.

Is there an echo in here???

NASA HD is only good for the shuttles. Thats all its used for right now
The rest would be 4:3 or stretch o vision probably