Netflix prepares for takeoff: NASA+ live programming to begin streaming this summer

Netflix is bringing a different kind of star-studded content to subscribers this summer.

NASA+ content, such as rocket launches, astronaut spacewalks, mission coverage, and breathtaking, live views of Earth from the International Space Station, will soon be available on the streaming giant. The National Aeronautic and Space Administration’s ad-free streaming service remains available on the agency’s website and through the NASA app, which can be downloaded on platforms like Apple TV, Fire TV, Hulu , and Roku.

While a date has not yet been announced for NASA+’s content arrival on Netflix, a press release shared with DECIDER notes that “additional programming details and schedules will be announced ahead of the summer launch.”

In a statement, Rebecca Sirmons, general manager of NASA+, said, “The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 calls on us to share our story of space exploration with the broadest possible audience. 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.”

While speaking with DECIDER, Sirmons broke down the thought process behind NASA’s streaming service, which replaced its predecessor, NASA TV.

“Linear TV is ending, and the next generation is on streaming,” she explained. “The people who will be the ones making the first missions to Mars, we’re meeting them where they are. For me personally, I have a TV production background in Los Angeles, but I’m Florida-raised, so pretty NASA-obsessed. When my daughter was 1-year-old, I wanted to watch Bob [Behnken] and Doug [Hurley] go up, but I couldn’t find NASA TV. I wanted my daughter to have a similar experience to what I had. I didn’t understand why NASA didn’t have something.”

According to their schedule, NASA+ has two upcoming scheduled events this week: the Progress 92 Cargo Ship launch scheduled for 3:32 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 3, and the Progress 92 Cargo Ship Docking, scheduled for 5:27 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 5.

As for NASA+’s other titles outside of live programming, Cosmic Dawn: The Untold Story of the James Webb Telescope, a documentary that is also available on NASA’s YouTube channel (see above), was released earlier this month. Some of the streamer’s shows include Far Out with Megan Cruz — a series where Cruz takes viewers around the Kennedy Space Center — and Space Out, a series that invites viewers to “turn on, tune in, and space out” to pictures of space set to calming music.