NASA Partners With Netflix in Streaming Race

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Saying that every company is now a media company has become something of a cliche. Yet day after day, developments prove it to be true. Take, for instance, Amalfi Jets (this is Kolin). The company is ostensibly a private jet broker and concierge service. However, they have shot to fame thanks to a fun and active TikTok account that supposedly documents the goings-on at the firm. Watching it is like following a bite-sized soap opera as customers call in with evermore ridiculous requests.

Now, NASA is taking its streaming service, which is obviously called NASA+, to Netflix. Rocket launches, space walks, mission coverage and shots of Earth from the International Space Station are going to air live on the streamer, as well as on the agency’s own service, which is free and does not run ads.

Announcing the move, Rebecca Sirmons, general manager of NASA+, said:

The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 calls on us to share our story of space exploration with the broadest possible audience. Together, we’re committed to a Golden Age of Innovation and Exploration – inspiring new generations – right from the comfort of their couch or in the palm of their hand from their phone.

NASA Improves Netflix Live Offering

As Techcrunch noted, NASA has had partnerships with Amazon Prime Video before as well as being active on YouTube. Sounds a lot like a media company to me!

As well as helping get NASA’s work in front of more people, the partnership is interesting from a Netflix perspective, too. We know the streamer wants to increase its live offerings. We know that some of its previous live streams have been an absolute mess. Through this deal, Netflix gets a bunch of live content that, presumably, it doesn’t have to put too many production resources into because NASA was making it already. This goes alongside its recent deal with French outlet TF1 and also signals a move towards becoming more of an aggregator.

Such deals may well become more commonplace as companies and public agencies continue to realise that their media output is as important as their core purpose.