The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an American government agency that was founded in 1958. NASA is mainly known for its efforts in spaceflight, astrophysics and space-related science.
About[]
"NASA's mission is to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research. To do that, we have worked around the world -- and off it -- for more than 60 years, searching for answers to fundamental questions about our place in the universe. We're exploring space and discovering Earth. Join us for this exciting and important journey."
History[]
Origins: the Space Race[]
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was formed by the US Government on July 29, 1958, as a response to Soviet successes and American failures in spaceflight. This led to a space race between the US and the Soviet Union, which were already in a nuclear arms race.
Almost as soon as it was founded, NASA heavily engaged in public relations in order to get the US population behind the Race and confident about their country's efforts. It was deemed particularly important to get its youngest citizens to gain interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The agency's astronauts, then all test pilots, were portrayed as all-American family men, alongside being the most capable of the nation of undertaking what the unforgiving environment of outer space asks from them. LIFE Magazine in particular helped them enter the lives of citizens, alongside live television broadcasts of important launches, at the time just as a state-of-the-art technological feat as spaceflight itself.[1]
In 1961, several months after his inauguration, President John F. Kennedy set the bar high for NASA. He asked the agency to land its astronauts on the Lunar surface and return them to Earth "by the end of the decade", which would put the US in the lead or even effectively end the Race if successful.[2] Engineers and contractors communicated extensively in order to enable rapid progress, and NASA regularly released video reports on rocket and spacecraft development.[3] NASA succeeded; the broadcast of the Apollo 11 Moon landing on July 20/21, 1969, was watched live by roughly twenty percent of the world's population.[4]
NASA TV[]
In 1972, NASA got involved in a project with the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, in which the agency sought to bring educational television to schools in the Appalachian region by developing, launching and operating broadcasting satellites. This was a success, and NASA's broadcasts were made available across the country. The resulting Appalachian Community Service Network was incorporated in 1980 and renamed The Learning Channel (TLC) in 1984 after high ratings. TLC would infamously become a network specializing in reality TV shows after increasing competition by other popular science and education channels. By then, NASA had already launched a replacing network for its own content: NASA TV.[5]
NASA found it useful to set up its own satellite TV network, as it allowed mission controllers and engineers monitoring Space Shuttle missions to access live footage of the Space Shuttle as it launched, orbited the Earth and landed. Through this medium, it also broadcasted early Shuttle missions on the major television networks,[6] now while using commercial satellites.[5] In 1986, the then-new CNN broadcasted the launch of STS-51-L, which was particularly anticipated by schoolchildren and teenagers. President Reagan had launched the Teacher in Space program as a response to faltering interest in NASA, and had arranged for schools to see the launch live. Sadly, viewers saw the Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrate early in the flight, killing school teacher Christa McAuliffe, an engineer invited by NASA and five astronauts.[7]
Streaming, YouTube and social media engagement[]
NASA entered YouTube on June 3, 2008, and uploaded their first video three days later. This video was a music video about celebrating the Mercury 7 Astronauts for the 50th anniversary of NASA.
By the late 2010s, the agency has become renowned for its use and public engagement of social media,[8] and has gained attention from celebrities, who have promoted spaceflight and the agency, and popularised use of its logos through fashion.[9] A former NASA engineer, Mark Rober, has himself become one of the most successful users of YouTube, seeing his career take flight after uploading a video on the Curiosity rover, which he worked on.
NASA has been nominated for and won several Emmy Awards for its social media engagement and videos,[10] including for its coverage of the SpaceX Demo-1 mission to the ISS.[11][12]
Content[]
On its several YouTube channels, NASA uploads videos about their activities, ranging from astronomy, engineering and technology development to mission updates, science explainers and documentaries. They often feature people who work at NASA who talk about their experiences working there and what they are working on.
NASA manages its 530 social media accounts at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., where public affairs officers are present.[8]
Affiliate channels[]
NASA has multiple channels on YouTube, to move more specific uploads away from the main channel. Channels specialize in one of NASA's many centers or specific series.
NASA General[]
NASA Major Centers[]
NASA Manufacturing, Testing and Launch Facilities[]
- Kennedy Space Center[21]
- Ames Research Center[22]
- Glenn Research Center[23]
- Armstrong Flight Research[24]
- Marshall Space Flight Center[25]
- Langley Research Center[26]
- Stennis Space Center[27]
- Wallops Flight Facility[28]
NASA Shows[]
- NASA EDGE[29]
Channel milestones[]
Note: The following dates are according to Social Blade. Dates may vary by one or two days due to differences in time zones.
Subscriber milestones[]
- 1 million subscribers: October 14, 2016
- 2 million subscribers: March 21, 2018
- 3 million subscribers: December 2, 2018
- 4 million subscribers: May 21, 2019
- 5 million subscribers: January 6, 2020
- 6 million subscribers: May 27, 2020
- 7 million subscribers: June 11, 2020
- 8 million subscribers: January 23, 2021
- 9 million subscribers: April 17, 2021
- 10 million subscribers: May 15, 2022
- 11 million subscribers: December 15, 2022
Video view milestones[]
- 100 million views: April 26, 2016
- 200 million views: December 4, 2018
- 300 million views: April 21, 2020
- 400 million views: May 31, 2020
- 500 million views: September 26, 2020
- 600 million views: February 20, 2021
- 700 million views: July 3, 2021
- 800 million views: June 5, 2022
- 900 million views: November 30, 2022
- 1 billion views: January 29, 2024
References[]
- ↑ https://rocketkids.omeka.net/space-craze-cultural-context
- ↑ https://www.nasa.gov/history/the-decision-to-go-to-the-moon/#.VWIGJ0_tmkp
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoJsPvmFixU&ab_channel=SmarterEveryDay
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/15/business/media/apollo-11-television-media.html
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://hackeducation.com/2015/05/30/the-learning-channel
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20081015162338/http://digitalcontentproducer.com/hdhdv/depth/video_horizon/
- ↑ https://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/31/us/80s-cnn-challenger-coverage/index.html
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 https://www.newswhip.com/2017/03/nasa-social-media-interview/
- ↑ https://www.supercluster.com/editorial/celebrities-and-pop-culture-are-suddenly-obsessed-with-space-why-now
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKZynFk-MUU&ab_channel=FoundationINTERVIEWS
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haXoWZTu6GE&ab_channel=NASA%27sKennedySpaceCenter
- ↑ https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2019/outstanding-interactive-program
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@NASA
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@NASAgovVideo
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@nasa_es
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@NASASTEM
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@NASAGoddard
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@ReelNASA
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@NASAJPL
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@JPLraw
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@NASAKennedy
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@NASAAmes
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@nasaglenn
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@NASAArmstrong
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@NASALANGLEY
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@NASALANGLEY
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@NASAStennis
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@NASAWallops
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/@NASAedge
