The US space agency said Wednesday it will host a live Twitch stream from the International Space Station on February 12.
NASA, which has 1.3 million followers on the live-streaming video service, has previously broadcast events on its Twitch channel. However, this will be the first time the agency has created an event specifically for Twitch.
During the live event, beginning at 11:45 am ET (16:45 UTC), viewers will hear from NASA astronaut Don Pettit, who is currently on board the space station, as well as Matt Dominick, who recently returned to Earth after the agency’s Crew-8 mission. Viewers will have the opportunity to ask questions about living in space.
Twitch is owned by Amazon, and it has become especially popular in the online gaming community for the ability to stream video games and chat with viewers.
Meeting people where they are
“We spoke with digital creators at TwitchCon about their desire for streams designed with their communities in mind, and we listened,” said Brittany Brown, director of the Office of Communications Digital and Technology Division. “In addition to our spacewalks, launches, and landings, we’ll host more Twitch-exclusive streams like this one. Twitch is one of the many digital platforms we use to reach new audiences and get them excited about all things space.”
NASA has traditionally sought to reach audiences on new platforms. The space agency launched its television service, NASA TV, in 1980, and it was eventually broadcast via satellite and over the Internet. Last summer, the space agency phased out NASA TV in favor of a digital-only streaming service, NASA+, which is available via mobile apps and streaming services.
The agency has also been an early adopter of social media networks, with large followings on Facebook, Instagram, X, and others.
It remains to be seen how the space agency’s media outreach strategy will evolve under the Trump administration. The space agency employs hundreds of public affairs professionals to create and implement its media and social media strategies. It’s possible that NASA might, like the National Transportation Safety Board, lean more heavily into X, which is owned by Donald Trump confidant Elon Musk. So far the agency has made no significant changes.