NASA is partnering with Harmonic, to launch NASA TV UHD, the first ever non-commercial consumer UltraHD (UHD or 4K) channel in North America. SES’s AMC-18 satellite will distribute the new channel’
The partnership is the result of a Space Act Agreement between Harmonic and the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Using an end-to-end UHD video delivery system from Harmonic, NASA Television will have the capability to deliver linear 2160p60 video content, allowing viewers to enjoy footage on a wide range of television and internet-connected devices. The new UHD channel is expected to launch on Nov. 1, following preliminary tests.
“Partnering with Harmonic gives NASA an outlet for its UHD content, which has four times the resolution of HD and is the next iteration of digital television,” said Robert Jacobs, deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Office of Communications at the agency’s headquarters in Washington.
Leveraging the 8-megapixel resolution of UHD, the channel will showcase the breathtaking beauty and grandeur of space. NASA TV UHD video will be sourced from high-resolution images and video generated on the International Space Station and other current NASA missions, as well as re-mastered footage from historical missions.
Harmonic currently is in discussions with pay TV operators to carry the channel on the satellite, cable and optical networks for consumer access. The channel also will stream on the Internet, which will require at least 13 MBps access connectivity to receive the signal and enjoy the UHD experience.
“As NASA reaches new heights and reveals the unknown, the NASA TV UHD channel can bring that journey to life in every home. And as organizations at the forefront of innovation, together we are leading the adoption of this exciting technology,” said Peter Alexander, chief marketing officer at Harmonic.
“As the leader in UHD development, Harmonic provides a complete solution for Ultra HD video production and delivery, enabling content and service providers to offer better video quality at a low total cost of ownership.”
NaASA’s UHD channel will be delivered over SES’s AMC-18 satellite. The new UHD channel is expected to launch on 1 November, following preliminary tests.
“Our three satellites at the foundation of SES’s North America Ultra HD platform enable the programmers to potentially reach more than 100 million U.S. television homes through virtually every cable TV, IPTV and direct-to-home provider across the region,” said Steve Corda, VP of business development for SES in North America.
SES has developed the first Ultra HD ecosystem capable of providing cable systems with linear live Ultra HD content. SES unveiled the Ultra HD platform together with Harmonic at the NAB Conference in April. Successful cable operator trials of the plug-and-play service quickly followed, along with the launch of the first Ultra HD demonstration channels in North America.
“Armstrong is currently undergoing trials across their cable plant, and other operators are receiving our Ultra HD channel feeds over SES satellites and will undoubtedly be very excited to add NASA’s UHD channel to their viewing line-ups,” noted Corda.
“SES has been a driving force towards making Ultra HD channels available to the millions of households that now own and will own Ultra HD TVs,” said Peter Alexander, Harmonic CMO. “Together we can drastically reduce the time to market and total-cost-for-ownership for rollout, with the amazing video experience that comes from this exciting new format.”
