Washington D.C, USA – National Geographic Channel (NGC) Worldwide is set to premiere a live two-hour interactive television event broadcasting from 250 miles above the Earth’s surface on the International Space Station (ISS), and NASA Mission Control in March 2014. Produced by Arrow Media, the show is set to air simultaneously around the world on National Geographic Channel in 170 countries, and on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom.
With access to and footage from the ISS and Mission Control, audiences will be able to watch and interact with astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Koichi Wakatalive in orbit from the ISS, and astronaut Mike Massimino (most notably known for fixing the Hubble Telescope) live from Houston.
Live From Space will be able to feature unique live shots of the planet including scenes from sunset and sunrise, lightning storms and shooting stars, with the ISS orbiting Earth every 90 minutes. In addition to that, Mastracchio and Wakata will give viewers a fully guided tour, showing their survival and daily lives in microgravity and conducting of science experiments.
Astronauts, flight controllers and researchers will be featured in original segments from the ISS and Mission Control during the course of the two-hour live event.
Live From Space
Viewers will also be able to chat via video with Mastracchio and Wakata and have their faces beamed into space to join the conversation. A first-of-its-kind second-screen experience will also allow viewers to track the space station while exploring the interests of people under its path. This “social-media telescope” will give viewers real-time insight into the collected cares of Earth’s inhabitants.
“Everyday at NGC our team tries to reach for the stars,” says Howard T. Owens, President of NGC. “Now we are literally able to do it! We are honoured to have secured such amazing access to the station and the astronauts living there, and are exhilarated by the tremendous challenge to show Earth … live.”
“We’re thrilled to be making this unique event for NGC Worldwide,” says Arrow Media’s creative director, Tom Brisley. “The technological and logistical challenges of broadcasting live from space may be enormous, but there’s no bigger buzz than creating mind-blowing content that works in micro gravity, on the world’s largest spacecraft!”
Live from Space will premiere in March to coincide with COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY, a joint venture between Fox Broadcasting Company and National Geographic Channel.
