Audio Video News

NASA has announced plans to launch North America’s first commercial-free 4K/Ultra HD TV channel and streaming service on November 1.

Born out of a partnership between the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama and video delivery company Harmonic, the NASA Television UHD channel will feature archival footage from the International Space Station, the Hubble Space Telescope, current NASA missions, and remastered footage from historical missions, according to NASA.

From the official NASA press release:

Using an end-to-end UHD video delivery system from Harmonic, NASA Television will have the capability to deliver linear 2160p60 video content, allowing viewers to enjoy footage on a wide range of television and internet-connected devices.

“Partnering with Harmonic gives NASA an outlet for its UHD content, which has four times the resolution of HD and is the next iteration of digital television,” said Robert Jacobs, deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Office of Communications at the agency’s headquarters in Washington.

Leveraging the 8-megapixel resolution of UHD, the channel will showcase the breathtaking beauty and grandeur of space…

Harmonic currently is in discussions with pay TV operators to carry the channel on the satellite, cable and optical networks for consumer access. [Streaming] will require at least 13 MBps access connectivity to receive the signal and enjoy the UHD experience.

NASA and Harmonic have also begun discussions about adding high dynamic range (HDR) and expanded color-space technologies to the new channel as standards emerge, with some testing expected before the end of the year.

For a taste of what’s to come, check out footage of a Russian supply ship arriving at the international Space Station here: