Webcasts of the launchings of the space shuttle and
other rockets have become common. Also, less dramatic
events, but nevertheless of great interest to the
HobbySpacer, such as
the news conferences after a Mars spacecraft arrives
at the planet, are seldom available on commercial
TV or radio but are often presented live and free over
the web. Streaming has become the favorite technique
for such space webcasts.
Many of the space broadcast sites allow you to download
MP3 or other sound and/or video files to enjoy the programs
off-line such as in with your iPod.
Web Streaming provides
video and audio in a continous connection similar to
channels on radio and TV. As opposed to audio/video
clips that must be downloaded to a file and then run
in a player, streams begin running as soon as the first
data appears and can run indefinitely.
Audio streaming
has shown great improvements and the sound approaches
the quality of a strong signal AM station.
Video has also
greatly improved over the years even for slow links.
However, broadband connections definitely provide the
best signal with near TV quality, though still limited
to a smaller window that the full screen.
Podcasts - Podcasting
is a way to have audio and video files delivered automatically
to your PC rather than having to go to a website and
download the files yourself. You need an "aggregator
program" such as Itunes
or Juice.
You use the program to subscribe to the podcasts that
are of interest to you. You can also load the files
into your mp3 player. More info at Science
Update, Universe
Today - What is a Podcast?, and Podcasting
- Wikipedia.
NASA-TV
is the agency's own TV network, broadcast among its
various centers, and is available on a few cable networks
and can be picked up by those with C-band satellite
dishes. Now it is available to a much wider audience
via several web rebroadcasts as video streams.
ESA also now
broadcasts launches of Arianes and other actvities.
Occasionally the French CNES-TV
broadcasts various space related programs.
The low complexity end of SpaceCasting involves downloading,
at some low refresh rate, the current image from a webcam
of some space related scene.
Space
Streams: Live & Archived You can find many space related
events and archived videos streamed over the net
Space
Feeds: Space Video of the Day Lots of links to space videos,
animations, space casts, realtime space science,
etc. A daily posting of a collection of space videos.
Astronomy
Cast "Astronomy Cast takes a fact
based journey through the cosmos as it offers listeners
weekly discussions on astronomical topics ranging from
planets to cosmology. Hosted by Fraser Cain (Universe
Today) and Dr. Pamela L. Gay (SIUE),
this show brings the questions of an avid astronomy lover
direct to an astronomer. Together Fraser and Pamela explore
what is known and being discovered about the universe
around us."
The
Dr. Sky Show Steve
Kates who promotes astronomy
on radio and TV as "Dr.Sky",
archives his inteviews with "some of the worlds most
interesting guests from the realms of Astronomy, Space,
Aviation and Weather and much more..
Mike
Hodel's Hour 25 This long running radio show deals
primarily with science fiction but often includes interviews
with guests involved in space activism and the development
of new space businesses. Archives of previous
shows available on line.
Rockets
Away Radio Interviews, news and info from
the "company specifically devoted
to promoting and supporting the emerging commercial space
industry."
Slacker
Astronomy "A weekly, five minute podcast
covering a recent news item in astronomy."
StarDate
Online The popular daily astronomy program,
which is broadcast on
many public radio stations, is now available online.
Star
Gazer Jack Horkheimer now offers video
podcasts of his Star
Gazer weekly television series on naked eye astronomy.
Each weekly episode features selected objects for naked
eye
viewing for the following week.
StarStuff This ABC (Australian Broadcast
Corp.) News program presents "the latest
discoveries across the universe and space science news
from around the world.
Hosted by Stuart Gary, StarStuff is available [on
line], or on the air
on Saturday and Sunday at 11p Eastern Time, replayed Monday
at 5.00a and 12.30p".
The
Deep with Jim Sullivan "Science talk radio, from
the depths of the ocean to the deepest frontier, space.
NASA
Podcasting NASA provides audio and video podcasts
about its missions,
space science, etc.
The
Loh-Down on Science "fun way to get your daily
dose of science in less than two minutes...
Hosted by writer/performer and Caltech alumna Sandra
Tsing Loh,
it's a program for those who love science as well as
those who avoid it."
The
Naked Scientists Online, Science Radio Show "The Naked Scientists Online
science radio show and science podcast
utilises streaming technology to allow you to hear science,
medicine and
technology news, discoveries and breakthroughs being
discussed by
scientists and researchers, and includes interviews
with famous scientists of
world-class reputation." Program
Archive
NASA has its own TV network that is
broadcast to its various facilities around the US
and is even available on a few cable systems. (TVRO
enthusiasts pick it up on their C-band
dishes.) It also has various slow refresh rate cameras
for monitoring spacecraft preparation, shuttle payload
processing, etc.
Several web sites now provide NASA TV
streamed over the net. Some also include the other
camera feeds. (See the Space
Webcams section below for sites that provide
only the slow refresh video.)
See also the ELV
Countdown Portal - KSC, which offers video feeds
of the pad, Mission Status and Countdown Events data,
and other optional info.
During special events such as a shuttle
launch, CNN and other general broadcasters may also
provide NASA TV feeds.
Note that
in the US, the DirecTV and Echostar's Dish DTH services
now offer NASATV.
ESA
also now broadcasts launches of Arianes and other
actvities.
ELV
Countdown Portal - KSC offers video feeds of the
pad, Mission Status and Countdown Events data, and
other optional info.
KSC
Direct - This site is dedicated to "web broadcast
programming" and provides launch coverage as
well as programs related to the missions. See also
the video and web cams at NASA
Spaceflight Live Video Feeds
KSC provides all frames, with variable refresh
rates, taken from the NASA TV channels including
shots of the shuttle processing rooms and other
payload preparation facilities.
Classroom
of the Future's NASA TV - NASA TV can also be
viewed over the Internet using Progressive Network's
RealPlayer stand-alone helper application.
NASA Quest
- This NASA program at Ames Research Center sponsors
a large number of educational projects, many of which
offer streamed videos. For example:
NASA CONNECT!
A series of FREE integrated mathematics, science,
and technology instructional distance learning programs
for students in grades 6-8. They are currently available
directly from a satellite
feed or via public
television stations in the US, or over
the web.
Ecliptic
Enterprises
This company specializes in onboard imaging systems
and data-transport systems for use with rockets, spacecraft
and other remote platforms.
They have put rocketcams on several vehicles that show
in real time the "look-back" view as the rocket
launches from the pad and all the way into space.
Space
Magnificent - Space Channels
Brings together two dozen video feeds from different NASA
servers on the internet. These include NASA TV that can
be grabbed with a satellite dish. Others, mostly frame
grabbers that display images only updated occasionally,
are only on the Internet.
CNES-TV
- French space broadcasts. (Follow the links to some
English programs.)
ESA Television
- Provides schedules of ESA broadcasts and also offers
for sell a collection of ESA videos.
More
Space Streams: Live & Archived
Artemis
Project Webcast
The Artemis lunar project group will provide occasional
broadcasts of lunar and space related events.
Boeing
Streaming Media
Central page at Boeing from which you can open streamed
videos on just about anything Boeing builds including
various launchers.
Earth
and Sky RealAudio Reports
The Earth & Sky is a daily radio science series often
discussing space exploration. See the shows
listing for current and past reports.
The
Futures Channel
Offers math & science movies and other educational webcasts.
House
Subcommittee on Space & Aeronautics
The US House of Representatives special subcommittee
on Space & Aeronautics often has interesting hearings
( and not juston NASA funding) but many other areas
of Space topics.
They now provide a site with RealMedia files showing
the hearings.
InterVU
This Web broadcaster occasionally offers space related
events such as the launching of the Mars Polar Lander.
Cyber Sci-fi
Network
This fledgling internet TV network aims to produce and
transmit original Sci-Fi programming over the Internet.
Mars
& Beyond is a drama about exploration of space
and includes a supporting role for Majel Barrett Rodenberry.
Mike
Hodel's Hour 25
"Science Fiction Radio for Southern California
since 1972 - Now Available World Wide Over the Internet".
Most of the shows are available in the on line archive.
Learning
Channels Live Feeds This Ames Research Center
LTC
project provides this index of RealMedia Video and Audio
streams of various space events.
See, for example, the Mars
Climate Orbiter Launch in a 20 min streamed RealMedia
video of the launch captured from NASA TV that includes
spectacular views from a camera on the first stage looking
back at earth.
Space.com Will occasionally broadcast majpr space events
such as launchings, press conferences, etc.
Spaceflight
Now
This site is sponsored by the British Astronomy
Now magazine and is providing stream videos, often
live, of launches around the world. See their launch
schedule.
The Space
Show
Weekly radio show, previously known as Business Without
Boundaries, now available on line. Dr. David Livingston
interviews leading figures in the development of outer-space
commerce and space tourism. Archives from weekly show
since June 2001.
Can be heard live on KKNW, 1150 AM, Seattle, Washington.
Wednesday evenings, 8-9PM PDT. Live internet streaming
via News Channel
1150 - Click on "Listen Live" button.
W0KIE
See wOkie's list of online broadcasts, mostly in RealAudio,
that concern satellites, TVRO,etc. For example, listen
in to Houston Amsat Network
- for the latest in Amsat developments.
Wallops
Island Sounding Rocket Webcasts
Views from cameras mounted on the rockets, in addition
to views of the launch itself, are now broadcast for sounding
rocket missions. This Wallops Island site maintains this
schedule of launches to be webcast.
WebcastingTV
Another of the new webcasters that occasionally presents
Space related programs.
White
Sands Sounding Rocket Webcasts
Views from cameras mounted on the rockets, in addition
to views of the launch itself, are now broadcast for sounding
rocket missions. See the latest mission at White Sands.
SpaceWatch - This space broadcaster was bought
out by Space.com.
There were three shows - Mission
Control Over (primarily interviews of NASA
people who worked 1960's projects), Deep
Sky (astronomy magazine), and Cosmic
Visions (general space magazine). I hope
Space.com will someday provide access to the archives
of these shows.
Live on the
Net - Has mostly entertainment but occasionally
offers space related broadcasts such as the Lunar
Prospector's crash on the moon.
The
X Factor - It's about 100 years since the
pioneering days of aviation and 25 years since
the first Space Shuttle flight. Now there's a
new breed of 'magnificent men in their space machines'
- from the ranks of amateur enthusiasts and rich
entrepreneurs. Former Shuttle astronaut Jeff Hoffman
meets them and investigates The X-Factor that
could lead to the next space travel revolution.
MediaGrab!
- "media files from the web, Usenet and more".
... "use MediaGrab! to locate files by subject,
author, song name, band name, "..etc
LiveWire!
Broadcast! -" locates all types of
streaming multimedia on the Internet. The number of
Internet radio and TV stations increases every day.
You can now access them all in one convenient application."
Space Webcams
Some
sites do not offer streamed video but do provide slow
refresh camera shots of NASA video feeds and other
space related webcams.
Discovery
Online -- Sun Cam & Planet
CamOnline cams from the SOHO spacecraft watching
the sun in three separate imagers and the SeaWiFS (Sea-viewing
Wide Field-of-view Sensor) satellite watching the earth.
Other webcams at Discovery.
Perceptual
Robotics Space cams
Perceptual Robotics offers webcams that can actually
be controlled by the user. The cameras can, for example
be zoom, pan up to 360 degrees or to send full panorams.
Their NASA sites change so do a search on NASA with
the "Current Category" search tool.
