starting with the environmental conditions outside the Earth’s atmosphere. “You just can’t put anything in space because there’s radiation,” Erickson explains. “Our problem is having a camera sensor that doesn’t die, and can handle the G-force when it launches.” Other key elements include working within the spacecraft’s weight limits (“we can’t put a big antenna on it,” says Erickson) and ensuring that vitals and other health and safety data takes precedence over a video signal. “There are a bunch of compromises on what we can do, and we have to work with partners to get everything tested. The technology is all there, it’s just finding the right technology that meets all the engineering specs.” There are practical constraints when filming a lunar landing, too. For one thing, the astronauts will be wearing thick gloves, making it tricky to operate any camera equipment themselves. When they land, they’ll also be on the dark side, meaning they’ll have to take lights – and, once illuminated, the astronauts run a high risk of blending into the background, as both their suits and the moon’s surface are white. Despite all the barriers that stand in their way, NASA is testing various methods of sending live video signals from outer space – including using the Deep Space Network. “It’s a chain of satellites that you can send one signal to, and it bounces around to these other satellites, so it eventually gets to a position where we can send it back to Earth,” Erickson describes – in the simplest terms possible. “They’re testing being able to get data over lasers. They’re testing things like using mobile phone technology to get bandwidth on the moon,” he continues. “It’s really cool to see how everybody’s working together.” That’s one thing NASA isn’t short of: collaborators who are eager to lend a hand. “All we’ve got to do is pick up the phone, and the industry is willing to help us,” Erickson admits. NASA’s partnership with Amazon Web Services, for instance, allowed it to capitalise on the cloud. “AWS spun up a bunch of broadcast tools for us. As technology changes, we
won’t have to buy new hardware; everything is virtual now, so we can make quick changes.” NASA’s been able to expand its streaming service to external platforms like YouTube,
Netflix and Amazon Prime. Out of this world, every day
NASA isn’t part of the streaming wars, and its ultimate goal isn’t to compete. Instead, NASA+ is a completely free service built for the widest possible audience. The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 – which officially founded NASA – states: “Activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind,” and that the organisation serves to expand human knowledge. NASA+ follows that same guideline. “It’s not about money; it’s to share NASA’s story,” says Sirmons. “We are doing just that. You’re watching history unfold in front of your very eyes and, to me, there’s something so beautiful about that.” While working within the confines of a government- backed budget presents challenges, ‘it’s the most creative place’ because it embraces experimentation. For Erickson, that’s exciting. “Every time we turn on a camera, there’s some first – there’s always something new,” he shares. “Here’s the new suit; here’s the new Orion capsule; here’s the new Artemis launch; or here’s the new thing that we’re going to put on the moon. You’re worn out and exhausted, but you’re happy because you can say that you contributed to humankind. “If we don’t see it, we didn’t do it,” he adds, and that motto guides Erickson’s work. “It’s our job to make sure that we have video and we have pictures – that people believe we went to the moon.” Of course, there will always be some conspiracists, but the hope is to persuade even the firmest non-believers. For Sirmons, working for NASA is, in short, a dream job. “I’m honoured every day that I get to come here and do this,” she gushes. “To me, NASA+ is our Field of Dreams . We built it, we set the stage. Now go – play ball.”
Follow along with the Artemis launches at plus.nasa.gov
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