By Richard Tew/NASA Correspondent for The Post Newspaper
For most of NASA’s 70 years, live video broadcasts have captured the progress of the space program and brought it into living rooms, computers and most recently, mobile devices. Since the dawn of NASA and the space program, people have watched in awe as they witnessed the rockets of the 60’s and 70’s thunder off the launch pad into the sky on their way to outer space. Into the 1980’s and beyond, watching live launches of the Space Shuttle was an event even school classes would pause and watch on live TV.
Construction of the International Space Station (ISS) began in 1998, adding a new dynamic to the space program. Thanks to live broadcasts, viewers have been able to witness intrepid astronauts working inside the ISS and performing spacewalks for upgrades and repairs for over 20 years.
In the current Artemis generation, these broadcasts will allow us to see astronauts circle the Moon before landing on its surface in the next few years before traveling further into space on future Artemis missions.
What most did not know was the back story; who was making sure cameras were trained on these multi-story rocket-propelled marvels with brave crews of astronauts pushing the boundaries of science and exploration. The producers, directors, camera crew, writers and assistants, along with a myriad of other creatives work their magic telling the story of our species’ foray into the final frontier: outer space..
At the helm of each broadcast is the executive producer who is in charge of the creative process. Together with their team of multi-media specialists, videos, pictures and audio of space vehicle launches and activity on the space station are created and piped to TV’s, smartphones and tablets. All of which capture the imagination, giving a great sense of accomplishment and pride to the viewer.
Growing up, NASA’s Executive Producer of Live Broadcasts Sami Aziz says he had a burgeoning creative drive. His interests included shooting and editing videos and packages, something which says he dabbled with both in high school and later in college.
Aziz’s parents encouraged him to become a doctor, lawyer or businessman.
“That was the guidance I was given,” said Aziz. “Obviously becoming a television producer wasn’t in anybody’s wheelhouse.”
