posted 05-20-2020 03:10 PM               

Discovery and Science Channel Secure Access to Capture NASA Launch of Spacex's Crew Dragon Capsule, First Crewed Orbital Space Mission in the U.S. in Nearly 9 Years

'Space Launch Live: America Returns to Space,' a Multiplatform Event, to Simulcast Live Coast to Coast on Wednesday, May 27, at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT on Discovery and Science Channel

All-Star Line-up of Celebrity Guests Include Global Superstar Katy Perry, TV and Internet Personality Adam Savage, Former NASA Engineer and YouTube Phenom Mark Rober, Among Others

Two-hour Documentary 'NASA & SpaceX: Journey to the Future,' on SpaceX's Journey to be First, Airs Monday, May 25 at 9 PM ET/PT on Science Channel and Tuesday, May 26 at 10 PM ET/PT on Discovery

Today, Discovery and Science Channel announced their plans to document history in the making at the NASA launch of SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule on Wednesday, May 27, from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The event marks the first crewed space mission to be launched into orbit from U.S. soil since 2011.

"Space Launch Live: America Returns to Space," a multiplatform event, will take viewers inside the launch, set to simulcast live beginning at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT on Discovery and Science Channel. The multiplatform event will also feature some of the biggest names in entertainment with live appearances by global superstar Katy Perry, TV and Internet personality Adam Savage, former NASA engineer and YouTube sensation Mark Rober and other surprise celebrity guests.

It will also include expert insight by former astronauts Mike Massimino and Karen Nyberg; active astronauts Jessica Meir and K. Megan McArthur and; NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine as well as an interview with Astronaut Chris Cassidy from the International Space Station (ISS).

"Discovery and Science Channel have spent over a year documenting SpaceX's race to become the first private company to launch American astronauts into space. Our live special offers both incredible access for the launch, and expert insight from SpaceX Founder and Chief Engineer Elon Musk and other leading aerospace professionals. In our two-hour documentary, we show the unbelievable engineering and scientific feats achieved by SpaceX in making such an historic launch happen," said Scott Lewers, Executive Vice President of Multiplatform Programming, Factual & Head of Content, Science. "In these unprecedented times of isolation, we are excited to bring our viewers together to experience this event in a way they won't see anywhere else, in the comfort of their own homes."

The live multiplatform event will take viewers along the mission to launch veteran astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the ISS on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission, known as Demo-2, will use a Falcon 9 rocket, also built by SpaceX, to propel it. Discovery and Science Channel coverage will feature commentary from astronauts, engineers and other special guests, as well as unprecedented coverage during launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

The live broadcast and accompanying two-hour documentary are made in partnership with The Washington Post and staff writer Christian Davenport, whose depth of experience allowed him to gain inside access to key players – including a rare in-depth interview with SpaceX Founder and Chief Engineer Elon Musk – and captures their incredible stories about this historic space achievement.

Washington Post reporter and Peabody award-winning journalist Christian Davenport is one of the country's leading chroniclers of the space industry. His background and experience will add keen insight to the day's event, as a co-host of the live broadcast.

Davenport joined The Post in 2000 and was on a team that won a Peabody Award in 2010 for its work on veterans with traumatic brain injuries and has been on reporting teams that were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize three times. He is the author of two books, "The Space Barons: Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos" (2018) and "As You Were: To War and Back with the Black Hawk Battalion of the Virginia National Guard" (2009). He has also served as a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and a fellow at the Alicia Patterson Foundation.

TV personality Chris Jacobs will host the three-hour special live from Los Angeles. Jacobs has a long history with Discovery network live events, reporting live on-the-ground for "Expedition Unknown: Egypt Live" as well as serving as the digital host during Nik Wallenda's tightrope walk over the Grand Canyon in "Skywire Live" and in Chicago for "Skyscraper Live." Jacobs was host for "Discovery Live: Into The Blue Hole," "Chopper Live," "Gold Rush Live" and the live broadcast of the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction for Velocity (now MotorTrend). In addition, he is the regular host for TLC's "Long Lost Family" and serves as host of the popular automotive makeover show "Overhaulin'" on MotorTrend.

Emmy Award-winning journalist David Kerley will also be part of the reporting team on the ground at Kennedy Space Center. Kerley has reported on aviation, railroads, the automobile industry and space for all ABC News broadcast and digital properties since 2004, including "World News Tonight," "Good Morning America," "Nightline," ABC News Radio and ABCNews.com. His work has been recognized with Peabody and Edward R. Murrow awards as well as the prestigious Joan Barone award from the Capitol Hill Radio and Television Correspondents Association.

The networks are also announcing a special 2-hour documentary "NASA & SpaceX: Journey to the Future" featuring exclusive access to the incredible journey leading up to this launch, airing Monday, May 25 at 9 PM ET/PT on Science Channel, that will rebroadcast on Tuesday, May 26, at 10 PM ET/PT on Discovery. The film crew was granted unprecedented access to NASA and to SpaceX headquarters – giving viewers a rare glimpse inside Launch Control and first-hand accounts from SpaceX Founder and Chief Engineer Elon Musk, Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.

The documentary reveals the behind-the-scenes action with the teams of SpaceX engineers, NASA employees and scientists as they fulfill the SpaceX mission to "fly, test, and fix" their way to the ISS – with the goal of eventually flying to the moon and to Mars.

In addition to watching the launch on Discovery and Science Channels, viewers can stream it live by downloading the Discovery GO app. Viewers can join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #SpaceLaunchLIVE. Follow Discovery on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates. You can also follow Science on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates.

"Space Launch Live: America Returns to Space" is produced for Discovery Channel by Storied Media Group. Executive producers for Storied Media Group are Aaron Fishman, Todd Hoffman and Michael Miller. For Discovery Channel, Executive Producers are Wyatt Channell, Gretchen Eisele, Scott Lewers and Caroline Perez.

posted 05-25-2020 07:15 AM               

Adam Savage on SpaceX's first astronaut launch, spacesuits and storytelling

Adam Savage has a spacesuit (actually, he has many) and is ready to travel.

But with the coronavirus still a concern, instead of attending SpaceX's launch of NASA's first astronauts to fly from the U.S. in nearly a decade, he will help bring the historic event into the homes of people across the country as part of "Space Launch Live: America Returns to Space," a Discovery and Science Channel live simulcast.

posted 05-28-2020 12:44 PM               

Discovery and Science Channel To Go Live at Next NASA Launch of SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule

'Space Launch Live: America Returns To Space,' a Multiplatform Event, to Simulcast Live Coast to Coast on Saturday, May 30 at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT on Discovery and Science Channel

Poor weather scrubbed the NASA launch of SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule on Wednesday, May 27, from the Kennedy Space Center. The next launch attempt has been re-scheduled for Saturday, May 30, and Discovery and Science Channel will be there to document the historic moment.

"Space Launch Live: America Returns To Space," a multiplatform event, will go live on Saturday, May 30 at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT on Discovery and Science Channel. The live event will take viewers along the mission to launch veteran astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the ISS on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission, known as Demo-2, will use a Falcon 9 rocket, also built by SpaceX, to propel it. Discovery and Science Channel coverage will feature commentary from astronauts, engineers and other special guests, as well as unprecedented coverage during launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Leading up to the live broadcast, viewers will also get an inside look with a 2-hour documentary "NASA & SpaceX: Journey To The Future" featuring exclusive access to the incredible journey leading up to this launch, on Saturday, May 30 at 12 PM ET/ 9 AM PT on Discovery and Science Channel.

If poor weather delays Saturday's launch, the next launch attempt will occur on Sunday, May 31. Discovery and Science Channel will once again go live at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT, and air the 2-hour documentary ahead of the live broadcast at 12 PM ET/9 AM PT.

posted 06-04-2020 03:05 PM               

Discovery and Science Channel Hit Record Breaking Ratings High with 'Space Launch Live'

Discovery and Science Channel ratings reached new heights on Saturday, May 30, as they documented the successful NASA launch of SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., with 'Space Launch Live: America Returns to Space.'

The live coverage of the launch averaged a 2.44 P25-54 rating, with more than 4.7 million total viewers, ranking as the #1 non-prime telecast in the history of Discovery Channel. Discovery's launch coverage also was television's #1 telecast for the entire day across such key demos as P/M/W25-54, P/M/W18-49, P/M/W18-34, P2-11 and P12-17.

The launch also became the highest-rated telecast in the history of Science Channel with a 1.00 P25-54 rating, while pulling in 1.31 million total viewers. Collectively, Discovery and Science Channel reached a combined 7.21 M total viewers across the two hours.

The live multiplatform event was the highest-rated L+3 telecast on Discovery overall since the premiere of 'Phelps vs. Shark' and the highest-rated non-prime telecast in Discovery history with P/W25-54, P/W18-49 and P2-11. For Science Channel, the broadcast of the launch averaged a 1.00 L+3 P25-54 rating and 1.31 million total viewers, making it Science Channel's highest-rated telecast on record among P25-54. It was also Science's highest-rated telecast ever across M25-54 (1.16) and W25-54 (0.85).

"While many networks covered this historic moment, Discovery and Science Channel took viewers inside the launch by showing the incredible achievements of those who made it happen. We spent almost a year documenting SpaceX's journey and offered both incredible access at the launch as well as insight from SpaceX Founder and Chief Engineer Elon Musk," said Nancy Daniels, Chief Brand Officer, Discovery and Factual. "Viewers got to experience this major moment in real-time and hear insight from former astronauts like Mike Massimino and Karen Nyberg; active astronauts Jessica Meir and K. Megan McArthur along with other familiar faces including Adam Savage and Mark Rober."

The launch also had significant ratings among younger viewers with an impressive 1.73 among Kids 2-11; 1.29 with A18-34 and 2.08 among A18-49 across Discovery Channel. It also made a significant impact online with nearly 600k total interactions, making it Saturday's #1 most social episode across television excluding sports-related programming. The show's hashtag #SpaceLaunchLIVE trended on Twitter during Saturday's broadcast, Discovery's live stream on TikTok reached over 1M total viewers on the platform, and Discovery's Space Launch filter – made available on Instagram and Facebook – is the network's #1 most engaged with AR filter in network history.

'Space Launch Live: America Returns to Space' followed the launch of veteran astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the ISS on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission, known as Demo-2, used a Falcon 9 rocket, also built by SpaceX, to propel it. The event marked the first crewed space mission to be launched into orbit from U.S. soil since 2011. Discovery and Science Channel coverage featured commentary from astronauts, engineers and other special guests including global superstar Katy Perry. The event also featured notable figures and celebrities including Olivia Munn, Simone Biles, Bill Nye, Mark Cuban, Clint Black, Lance Black, John Smoltz, Aaron Paul and Tony Hawk, among others.

The live broadcast and accompanying two-hour documentary were made in partnership with The Washington Post and staff writer Christian Davenport, whose depth of experience allowed him to gain inside access to key players – including a rare in-depth interview with SpaceX Founder and Chief Engineer Elon Musk – and captured their incredible stories about this historic space achievement.

TV personality Chris Jacobs hosted the special live from Los Angeles and Emmy Award-winning journalist David Kerley was part of the reporting team on the ground at Kennedy Space Center. Leading up to the event, Discovery and Science Channel aired the 2-hour documentary 'NASA & SpaceX: Journey to the Future,' featuring exclusive access to the incredible journey leading up to this launch, narrated by actor and producer Walton Goggins. The film crew was granted unprecedented access to NASA and to SpaceX headquarters – giving viewers a rare glimpse inside Launch Control and first-hand accounts from SpaceX Founder and Chief Engineer Elon Musk, Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. The documentary revealed the behind-the-scenes action with the teams of SpaceX engineers, NASA employees and scientists as they fulfill the SpaceX mission to "fly, test, and fix" their way to the ISS – with the goal of eventually flying to the moon and to Mars.

Source: The Nielsen Company, L+3 program-based data, excl. breakouts. DISC internal data prior to 4/30/2007 based on L+SD and prior to 12/26/2005 is based on Live. Historical Discovery claims based on coverage ratings since 9/27/1993. All Television Ranks based on 5/30/2020 6a-6a telecast level data, including sustainers. SCI ratings based on L3 back to 4/30/07 and LSD back to 6/27/05. 'Non-Prime' defined as Monday-Sunday Programs ending between 6a-8p and starting between 11p-6a. Reach uses 6-min. qualifier.

posted 07-28-2020 10:03 AM               

Discovery, Science Channel To Capture Live Splashdown Return of SpaceX Crew Dragon

Discovery and Science Channel announced today (July 27) it will capture the incredible live splashdown return of the NASA launch of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft after docking the past two months at the International Space Station (ISS). "Space Launch Live: Splashdown" a multiplatform event, will air live on Sunday, August 2, at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT on Discovery and Science Channel.

This past May, Discovery and Science Channel worked with The Washington Post to document the first crewed mission from the United States since the end of the shuttle program in 2011. This successful NASA launch from Kennedy Space Center was a partnership between NASA and SpaceX, marking the first U.S. crewed mission to orbit on a privately built spacecraft. Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley traveled to the ISS in the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, propelled by the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Discovery and Science Channel's coverage drove record ratings — ranking as the #1 telecast for the entire day across major demos and the highest-rated telecast in the history of Science Channel.

"This is the type of coverage that viewers can only find on Discovery and Science Channel," said Scott Lewers, Executive Vice President of Multiplatform Programming, Factual & Head of Content, Science. "With the incredible access of The Washington Post, we spent over a year documenting SpaceX's journey to become the first private company to launch American astronauts into space and we're excited to see their safe return back to Earth. Our live coverage will take viewers inside their incredible journey home."

This live event, capturing the first landing at sea for U.S. astronauts since 1975, is also made in partnership with The Washington Post and staff writer Christian Davenport, whose depth of experience allowed him to gain inside access to key players. Davenport is one of the country's leading chroniclers of the space industry. His background and experience will add keen insight to the day's event, as a co-host of the live broadcast. Davenport joined The Post in 2000 and was on a team that won a Peabody Award in 2010 for its work on veterans with traumatic brain injuries and has been on reporting teams that were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize three times. He is the author of two books, "The Space Barons: Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos" (2018) and "As You Were: To War and Back with the Black Hawk Battalion of the Virginia National Guard" (2009). He has also served as a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and a fellow at the Alicia Patterson Foundation.

"The Post has long covered this industry and continues to bring readers in-depth reporting on the new space endeavors with unparalleled access and compelling storytelling," said Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, managing editor for The Washington Post. "We are excited to once again partner with Discovery to deliver coverage of this historic event and bring our journalism to a live TV audience."

"We are honored to continue our partnership with Discovery and The Washington Post, to share this exhilarating new era in space exploration," said Aaron Fishman, President of Unscripted at Storied Media Group. "The extraordinary cooperation we have received from NASA and SpaceX are reigniting enthusiasm in space among young and old audiences alike."

The spacecraft is scheduled to splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean and would successfully conclude NASA and SpaceX's Demo-2 mission. Temperatures on the return can spike up to 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit on the exterior of the spacecraft due to the friction caused during re-entry. Regarding the spaceship's return, SpaceX Founder and Chief Engineer Elon Musk noted, "I think there's an argument that the return is more dangerous in some ways than the ascent."

Discovery and Science Channel's live coverage will have unprecedented coverage of the spacecraft's return as well as expert commentary from current and former astronauts, including Mike Massimino and Garrett Reisman, top engineers and other special guests, including adventurer and avid explorer Josh Gates.

TV personality Chris Jacobs will pick up where he left off as host of the live return. Jacobs has a long history with Discovery network live events, reporting live on-the-ground for "Expedition Unknown: Egypt Live" as well as serving as the digital host during Nik Wallenda's tightrope walk over the Grand Canyon in "Skywire Live" and in Chicago for "Skyscraper Live." Jacobs was host for "Discovery Live: Into The Blue Hole," "Chopper Live," "Gold Rush Live" and the live broadcast of the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction for Velocity (now MotorTrend). In addition, he is the regular host for TLC's "Long Lost Family" and serves as host of the popular automotive makeover show "Overhaulin'" on MotorTrend.

Emmy Award-winning journalist David Kerley will also return as part of the reporting team. Kerley reported on aviation, railroads, the automobile industry and space for all ABC News broadcast and digital properties, including World News Tonight, Good Morning America, Nightline, ABC News Radio and ABCNews.com. His work has been recognized with Peabody and Edward R. Murrow awards as well as the prestigious Joan Barone award from the Capitol Hill Radio and Television Correspondents Association.

In addition to watching the return on Discovery and Science Channel, viewers can stream it live by downloading the Discovery GO app. Fans can also create photos and videos of themselves in space wearing life-like SpaceX helmets using Discovery's Space Filter on Facebook or Instagram.

Follow Discovery on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter for the latest updates and join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #Splashdown.

"Space Launch Live: Splashdown" is produced for Discovery Channel by Storied Media Group. Executive producers for Storied Media Group are Aaron Fishman, Todd Hoffman and Michael J. Miller. For Discovery and Science Channel, Executive Producers are Gretchen Eisele, Scott Lewers and Caroline Perez.