NASA makes first HDTV broadcast

History was made yesterday, November 15th, when NASA broadcast from outer space for the first time using high definition television. The much hyped broadcast featured the Space Station’s Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria.

The broadcast had been touted as a way for the scientific community to view the film made at the Space Station while back on earth. In the past, the engineers, scientists, and managers were forced to wait for the mission to end and the crew to return before being able to view and use the invaluable film.

Space Video Gateway, as the broadcast venture was known, was carried by both Discovery HD Theater and NHK Japanese broadcasting, and it was shown at Discovery Channel stores. The high bandwidth digital broadcast was both spectacular and valuable to the scientific community, meeting the expectations that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration had from the conception of the venture.

After the history making broadcast, activities returned to normal and the crew continued testing on one of the control moment gyros.

Preparations are now underway for a spacewalk that will take place next Wednesday, November 29th. This walk will include a commercial golf experiment that will have the dual purpose of honoring the 200th anniversary of diplomatic ties between America and Russia, and commemorating the famous golf shot performed by Alan Shephard Jr. during his moon walk.