NASA teams up with Netflix to stream rocket launches, missions

Live feeds of rocket launches, mission coverage, and “jaw-dropping” views of Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) are coming to Netflix later this summer.

Even the next astronaut spacewalk could be streamed, as the space agency announces a new partnership with the entertainment giant “to bring space a little closer to home.”

Netflix reaches a global audience of more than 700 million people, and NASA+ live feeds will be available to all membership tiers.

“The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 calls on us to share our story of space exploration with the broadest possible audience,” said Rebecca Sirmons, general manager of NASA+ at the agency’s headquarters in Washington.

“Together, we’re committed to a Golden Age of Innovation and Exploration – inspiring new generations – right from the comfort of their couch or in the palm of their hand from their phone.”

NASA+ will remain free and ad-free through the NASA app and on the agency’s website, which also features documentaries and original programming in addition to live feeds.

NASA said the partnership will make its work in science and exploration even more accessible, as part of the agency’s broader effort to reach as many people as possible through video, audio, social media, and live events.

“By hitching a ride on that starship-sized audience, NASA isn’t just widening the lens on its missions – it’s flinging the hatch open,” Netflix said.

“The agency has long experimented with video, audio, social feeds, and real-time events, but this partnership brings the cosmos into one of the world’s most familiar ecosystems: the living room.”