Longueuil, Quebec, June 20, 2005 -- As of July 1, 2005, NASA Television will be carried on an MPEG-2 digital signal accessed via satellite AMC-6, at 72 degrees west longitude, transponder 17C, 4040 MHz, vertical polarization. For those in Alaska or Hawaii, NASA Television will be seen on AMC-7, at 137 degrees west longitude, transponder 18C, at 4060 MHz, horizonal polarization. In both instances, a Digital Video Broadcast (DVB)-compliant Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD) (with modulation of QPSK/DBV, data rate of 36.86 and FEC ¾) will be needed for reception. The NASA Television schedule is available on the NASA Television website, at www.nasa.gov/ntv.
NASA TV's digital conversion will require members of the broadcast media to upgrade with an "addressable" Integrated Receiver Decoder, or IRD, to participate in live news events, interviews, press briefings and to receive NASA's Video File news feeds on a dedicated Media Services channel. NASA mission coverage will air on a digital NASA Public Services ("Free to Air") channel, for which only a basic IRD will be needed.
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For more information:
Julie Simard
Communications Advisor, Media Relations
Canadian Space Agency
Telephone: (450) 926-6651
E-mail: julie.simard@space.gc.ca
