Space enthusiasts will soon be able to watch a historic moment unfold live virtually from anywhere on the Earth. Netflix will livestream the Artemis II mission, giving viewers a chance to watch the spacecraft’s flyby around the Moon. Obviously, many people are wondering how this is technically possible. In other words, they want to know the type of Internet NASA is using to livestream a space event to Earth.
Artemis II flyby mission livestream, when and where to watch
The Artemis II flyby mission livestream will begin at 1 PM ET on April 7 (10:30 AM IST on April 7). Interest around the mission has been extremely high, as it marks NASA’s first human lunar mission in over 50 years. More than 4,00,000 people were estimated to be in attendance for the launch at the Kennedy Space Centre. On YouTube, it was watched by a whopping 17 million people. It is said that Netflix was in line to stream the historic departure but plans apparently changed last minute. Now, the OTT giant has confirmed it will stream the Artemis II flight around the Moon.
Apart from Netflix, viewers can also watch the livestream on several other platforms, including YouTube, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Netflix, and NASA Plus.
Artemis II flyby mission livestream, how it works
One major question many viewers have is how the mission will be livestreamed from space where traditional Internet connectivity is not available. We have the answer. For the Artemis II mission, NASA has deployed cutting-edge laser communication technology that uses infrared light — which is not visible to the naked eye — instead of traditional radio waves to send data to and from space. This system is known as the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System, or O2O.
Unlike radio communication, this new technology allows more data to be transmitted, including 4K high-definition video and high-resolution images, at speeds of 260 megabits per second. NASA is receiving the information via laser signals at one of two ground stations in Las Cruces, New Mexico, or Table Mountain, California, depending on cloud coverage.
Expected communication blackout near the Moon
The crew is also expected to temporarily lose contact with mission control in Houston, Texas, at 23:47 BST on Monday, April 6 (4:17 AM IST on Tuesday, April 7), when the spacecraft passes behind the Moon. Communication with mission control serves as a crucial link with home for astronauts during deep-space missions.
Artemis II launch and journey toward the Moon
The Artemis mission’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying four astronauts lifted off from the Kennedy Space Centre on April 1, 2026, at 6:35 p.m. EDT (4:05 a.m. IST on April 2, 2026). The crew began its journey toward the Moon on April 3, 2026, after successfully completing a high-stakes engine firing that broke them free from Earth orbit nearly 42 hours after liftoff.
The Artemis II crew, set for a lunar flyby, includes four astronauts: NASA Commander Reid Wiseman, NASA Pilot Victor Glover, NASA Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen.
Minor technical setback during the mission
While the 10-day journey toward the Moon is progressing safely, the crew has faced a small technical setback. Shortly after liftoff, astronauts encountered an issue while trying to use Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft’s email platform. Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman reported two instances where Outlook on the shuttle’s personal computing devices (PCDs) was not working and requested remote assistance from mission control in Houston.
Netflix’s partnership with NASA
Netflix has struck a deal with NASA to bring NASA Plus content to its platform. However, the streaming service has so far broadcast only a single event, on July 31 last year.
