NASA TV Needs to "Liven Up" Says LA Times

The LA Times wants NASA TV to “Liven Up.”

“Coverage of topics like space exploration and the Earth should be mesmerizing. Instead, there’s too much technical detail and silence,” complains David Ferrell in an article today. Among the live coverage of events that he criticizes is the LCROSS splatdown earlier this year that apparently disappointed many from a visual standpoint, despite the terrific science it accomplished.

“The discovery this fall of water on the moon — one of the most significant moments in the history of science — offered an especially revealing glimpse of NASA Television on the job. The achievement involved smashing a 5,000-pound probe into the moon at 5,600 mph and analyzing readings from the resulting plume of dust and vapor.

“Befitting its growing awareness of the world looking on, NASA TV later put its coverage on YouTube. However, the soundtrack is filled with technical gibberish as scientists ready their instruments, and the impact itself is virtually invisible.”

Editor’s Note: Granted, NASA TV is not Nova or the National Geographic channel. If it were, commentators probably would simply criticize NASA for spending taxpayer dollars on public relations. This definitely is a no-win situation for NASA.