Live at NASA TV for the Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour
Anthony Burokas goes behind the scenes at NASA TV to shadow an event video crew that's responsible for bringing launches live to the world.
Walking Away
It is an interesting balance NASA TV must achieve. They must be technically ready for all the action that may-or may not-happen. The adrenaline is pumping, but they have no control over the action in front of their cameras. They're charged with documenting what is quite possibly one of the most exhilarating moments humans attempt to embark upon-to hurl themselves, with all that might, out of Earth's gravity and build a new ecosystem in space.
But at the same time, NASA TV uses the same tools as every live production, with the same sort of crews, and must be prepared for the events to leave the scripted, expected launch, and delve into the same crazy hectic space where every live TV production goes. The launch was rescheduled and safely went into space. I know a lot of very talented video professionals who were happy to cover the launch, and feel the earth move under their feet one more time.
Anthony Burokas at Kennedy Space Center prior to the scrubbed launch
However, I walked away with admiration for the skills and the efforts of the crews at NASA TV. I didn't get to see and feel the launch for myself, but I still came away very impressed.
FTC Disclosure: I applied for and received a Media Badge on my own and covered my own expenses for the production of this report. No material connection exists between myself and NASA or NASA TV.
Images by Stephen Morgan; KSC TV truck courtesy of NASA TV.
Anthony Burokas (VidPro at ieba.com) of IEBA Communications has shot award-winning corporate video internationally and recorded events since the days of 3/4" tape. He is currently technical director for the PBS series Flavors of America and resides just outside of Dallas.