Ready to watch a take-off? On NASA TV, you can do just that. Between three NASA TV channels, you get everything from SpaceX spacecrafts lifting off from the Kennedy Space Center to attempts at satellite launches. Other websites—even personal websites—can easily stream NASA TV because it is not copyrighted. Really, the solar system is the limit, and all you need is the internet to access it. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch a NASA TV live stream for free.
What is NASA TV?
NASA TV is the official channel umbrella of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Its prerecorded programming, split up into three public channels. Get ready to explore all the ways you can stream NASA TV for free.
NASA TV live stream: 5 ways to watch NASA TV online for free
1) NASA TV
- Cost: Free
- How to watch: NASA TV website, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV, iTunes, GooglePlay, Amazon
You can access all three NASA channels—“Public,” “Media,” and “HD ISS Views”—for free on the official NASA website. “NASA Public,” the most commonly carried and watched channel, shows live footage of missions, spacewalks, and rocket launches, plus prerecorded footage like documentaries and archive materials. NASA TV also hosts “NASA Education,” which provides programming to places like museums and schools. “NASA Media” streams press conferences and footage for media and news organizations from across the world to use. NASA TV also streams International Space Station footage, called “HD ISS Views,” where you can see stellar views of the earth from space in real time.
Guides for the public-education and media channels will show you what programming is scheduled for the day. NASA also keeps an updated schedule of worthy events to watch, and it’s customizable for your time zone. NASA TV streams footage 24/7 but makes no promises to stream all three channels at the same time.
2) YouTube
- Cost: Free
- How to watch: NASA TV on YouTube, ISS Views on YouTube, iTunes app, GooglePlay app
The official NASA YouTube channel also provides a free NASA TV live stream. NASA has been airing it on YouTube since December and only has a few dozen viewers at a time. You can watch via the YouTube website or its app.
3) Pluto TV
- Cost: Free
- Devices: Desktop/laptop, iOS, Android, Pluto TV app on select Smart TVs from Vizio, Samsung, Sony, and more
It only makes sense that you can find NASA TV in a place called Pluto TV. Pluto TV is a free streaming service that offers a compilation of content it finds online—with leanings toward geek and science interests. Other channels on Pluto TV include CBSN, NBC News/MSNBC, Fox Sports, and more. You can also get a NASA TV live stream on the Pluto TV app. (Here’s the complete guide to Pluto TV channels.)
4) UStream.Tv
- Cost: Free
- How to Watch: Media channel, Public-Education channel, ISS stream, iTunes app, GooglePlay app,
IBM Cloud Video’s UStream.Tv has NASA’s media, public/education, and ISS stream channels all available to watch. You can watch directly on the UStream.TV website or on its app.
5) Roku
- Cost: Free (if you have Roku device), Roku devices start at $29.99
- How to watch: Roku channel store
Roku devices allow you to stream content directly onto your TV, and all you need is a Roku device or TV and internet access. If you have a Roku device or TV, you can add the NASA channel for free via the Roku channel store.
Other ways to watch NASA TV online
NASA-related programming on other TV channels
If you just can’t get enough of space-themed streaming content, NASA keeps an updated list of “NASA-Related Programming on Other TV Channels.” This list features content like What on Earth?: Ghost Fleet of Cannibal Bay on the Science Channel to American Chopper: Space Shuttle Tribute Bike 2 on the Discovery channel.
NASA also provides programming to schools and other educational institutions, so if your school district hosts a TV website, you might be able to find a NASA TV live stream there during select hours.
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