GoldenJCJ

I don't know how many people have access to this channel (I assume most satellite subscribers) but it has got to be the biggest wasted opportunity as far as TV stations go.

They could have so many great space oriented programs on (Documentaries, movies, mini-series', live events). But instead they elect to have the station off the air for 23 hours a day.

The only time it is even worth tuning in is when there's a shuttle launch, and even then it's still pretty boring. If done right they could have in-depth programs about each mission, go into detail and educate the viewer about how and why they doing what they're doing in space.

If viewers were able to see how and why each project was acheived, public interest in the space program might not be so low. And it would make for a damn entertaining cable station if you ask me!

But maybe I'm just a space geek who wants to know more than they're willing to tell us.

Rypro 525

ive got it also on cable and boy that channel does suck. give me mtv 2 any day.

Giantrobo

It would at least be cool if they talked about what they're showing

Jason

Al that stuff costs money. It's a shame, but NASA really can't put the effort into this that it deserves.

mikehunt

they could reshow old footage of missions or try getting good deals on documentaries done by discovery and the history channel that are a few years old and aren't reshown on those channels. then they could have more stuff on without spending a lot of money

Jackskeleton

I loved looking at the screen saver they show 23 hours a day when i was in florida there is always nothing on. one comment I made to carrie when I was over there was that I wanted to watch the channel cause it was so interesting.

Jackskeleton

Most of all.. it is good for one thing..

The channel mimics what goes on in space around the clock.... NOTHING.

UAIOE

I didnt know that such a channel exsisted.


But this idea of a NASA channel is interesting. If they used it right you could use it to gain lots of interest in the NASA but it sounds like it wont.

I figure there should be shows on the history of the shuttle or maybe some tech updates on replacements for the aging shuttle or even talk of possible alternative power soruces for future missions...ya know, the stuff thats shown on the Science Channel/Discovery Wings channels.

Pants

I'll chime in and say I think this channel rules.

It's been 2 years since I had dish, but whenever there was a shuttle launch you could watch it from start to finish; live, uninterupted, 24 hours a day, in real time. It's not like I would sit there for 5 hours straight watching an astronaut adjust an antennea, but it was really cool to flip to the channel occasionally and see the progress. They would replay "exciting" moments of docking procedures and stuff.

Yes the pace was glacial, but that was sort of the fun of it. It demistified space to watch some astronaut try to get the hatch shut for 15 minutes.

I will admit that when there wasn't a shuttle mission the channel sucked.

ravan

I like it! I only watch it when missions are starting / underway / ending and its way cooool!

They should try and show some more docu's and so on..

What I am thinking is, that all channels get free stuff from nasa pretty much - you can bet that a LOT of discovery programs has free space footage from them. not to mention flights of experimental planes etc.

They should say "ok - thats cool, but then we want you to let us broadcast some of your docu's (xxx months after original date etc)"

Jackskeleton

I think the guys just saying that this channel is there, and there is so much potential that they can do with it that would benefit the space program and bring back the excitement for it, it once had.

Toxygen

NASATV is actually one channel I miss from college... I use to set it as a screensaver (Radeon AIW in desktop mode) and just leave it on all day/night. Every now and then, esp while taking a nap, I'd get woken up by "BEEP Houston, discovery. beginning maneuver" "BEEP Discovery, Houston.. roger" then silence for the next hour

nevermind

Well they used to have old satellite shots with no sound in the background. I used to fall asleep to that. Now it's an off-air banner. How much can it cost to run video? They're already broadcasting the off-air banner.

I don't understand it. And in a week and a half, I won't have it, as I'm switching from Dish to DirecTV.

djbrown

DirectTv does have this channel, it's just not on the traditional satellite slot. You'll need an oval dish I believe. I have DTV, but just the regular dish. But I believe this is the case.

ravan

Affirmative - I get Nasa on the oval dish - its on the 116 bird that also carries HDTV and the spanish language channels (aya aya aya!)

canonelan2

I'd love to get NASA-TV but I don't have access to DirecTV's 119 Satellite. I wish they'd move it to 101!

Now if I could only figure out how to move an 80+ year old tree about 25 feet

Rascal

This was the biggest selling point for Dish for me. I enjoy (when I'm home) watching mission highlights. Certainly the programming is not continuous, but there are plenty of briefings, recaps, an announcer to narrate activities (not like football, so it might be "boring") and so forth. Now with the space station, there are more activities.

Check the listings at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/schedule.html.

Give me my NTV!