March 28, 2025

This Week in Space 154: The View From On High

1 hour 4 minutes

If you've ever wondered what the view from the International Space Station might look like in real-time, this is your episode. Or if you just want to know more about who's up there and what's going on at the ISS on a particular day, this is it. Liam Kennedy, the one and only Space TV Director, is with us. Liam has been working to bring content and video from the ISS down to earth for over a decade, and it's all come together just this year! Liam invented ISS Above, a Raspberry Pi-driven system that highlights key information about the space station in real-time. Join us for this special look at the view from on high!

Headlines:

NASA is cutting $420 million in contracts, as confirmed by NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens.

Boeing Starliner's next crewed launch was delayed to late 2025 / early 2026 due to ongoing helium leaks and thruster issues.

Northrop Grumman's Cygnus cargo mission (CRS-22) was canceled after the spacecraft was damaged during shipping; it will be rescheduled to CRS-23 in the fall.

Historic FRAM 2 mission launching March 31 - first human spaceflight over Earth's poles, financed by Maltese cryptocurrency entrepreneur Chun Wang.

The Blue Origin launch date with Katy Perry, the first all-female mission since Valentina Tereshkova's solo flight, is set for April 14.

A partial solar eclipse will be visible over northern US and Canada on March 29.

Main Topic - Interview with Liam Kennedy

Liam Kennedy's space journey began at age 6, watching the Apollo 11 moon landing, leading to becoming president of Orange County Astronomers and developing ways for the public to experience the Overview Effect.

ISS Above is a Raspberry Pi device created in 2013 that tracks the ISS and lights up when it passes overhead, and is now in 5,000 locations worldwide.

Kennedy partnered with SEN, founded by Charles Black, to create high-quality 4K cameras for the ISS after NASA's HDEV camera system stopped transmitting in 2019.

SEN provides free live streaming of Earth from space via YouTube and SEN.com, generating revenue through advertising and clip licensing.

The Space TV camera system includes six cameras on the Columbus module of the ISS, showcasing docking ports, Earth views, and the horizon.

Space TV offers dramatically higher quality than NASA's existing cameras and captured stunning 4K footage of Boeing Starliner's undocking and Crew Dragon flights.

SEN plans to expand with more cameras and locations, including potential deployment on future commercial space stations and lunar missions.

Kennedy discusses the "Overview Effect" - how seeing Earth from space creates a transformative perspective that inspires action on Earth.

The ISS Above Experience will be featured at the Space Symposium to celebrate the 25th anniversary of continuous human presence on the ISS.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Liam Kennedy

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