NASA Breaks Ground with First Live Twitch Stream from International Space Station

NASA Goes Live from Orbit: A New Era of Space Outreach

If you thought watching astronauts float through the International Space Station (ISS) was only for the news or the occasional YouTube highlight, think again. On February 12, 2025, NASA cracked open a fresh chapter in space storytelling by hosting its very first live Twitch stream directly from the ISS. The show kicked off at 11:45 a.m. EST, and, for the first time, anyone with a Twitch account could chat with astronauts in real-time as they orbited high above the Earth.

The livestream brought together Don Pettit, currently circling the planet aboard the station, and Matt Dominick, who had just wrapped up his tour with NASA’s Crew-8 mission and returned home. Instead of a polished press conference, viewers got an unfiltered look at space life. The chat buzzed with questions—what's dinner like in zero gravity? How do you keep up daily routines when you’re stuck in a floating laboratory? What wild experiments are you running up there?

Bridging Space and Streaming Culture

This wasn’t just a publicity stunt. Brittany Brown, head of NASA’s Office of Communications Digital and Technology Division, made it clear: NASA is investing in Twitch as a way to bust through the usual boundaries of science outreach. For years, space agencies stuck to TV explainer specials or static websites. Now, with gaming and streaming communities growing huge audiences, NASA is bringing its message straight into digital culture. And it plans to stick around, promising regular Twitch-exclusive content—think more Q&A streams, deep dives on science topics, even behind-the-scenes looks at upcoming missions.

The content didn’t shy away from the nitty-gritty. Pettit and Dominick, both known for their jaw-dropping astrophotography, traded stories about the unique challenges and surprises of living in microgravity. They unpacked the science of daily living—from how water behaves in orbit, to the ways experiments can play out differently when there's barely any gravity pinning you down. There was also plenty on citizen science, the growing trend of letting everyday people participate in research, whether by contributing data or brainstorming solutions with space pros.

This Twitch debut was more than just an interstellar AMA—it’s NASA’s clearest signal yet that it will go wherever people are already hanging out online. The hope? To spark curiosity about space exploration among people who may never have tuned in before. Spacesuit selfies, space burritos, and real-time questions from gamers—it’s a new kind of outreach, beamed straight from low Earth orbit.

8 Comments

Lea Ranum
June 19, 2025 AT 20:52

OMG I CRIED WHEN DON PETTIT SHOWED THAT SPACE BURRITO. I SWEAR I FELT THE TORTILLA FLOATING. THIS IS THE MOST EMOTIONAL THING I'VE SEEN SINCE MY CAT GOT A TIKTOK FOLLOWER. NASA, I LOVE YOU NOW.

WHY DIDN'T THEY LET US SEE THE SPACE PEE? THAT'S THE REAL DRAMA.
Linda Lewis
June 21, 2025 AT 18:32

This is a good step.
Jason Frizzell
June 23, 2025 AT 00:00

kinda cool how they just jumped into twitch like it was no big deal. i mean, i always thought space stuff was too serious for streaming but honestly? the way pettit explained water blobs made me want to learn more. maybe i'll check out the archive later.

also, the guy who asked about space laundry got me laughing. nobody ever thinks about that.
Ethan Steinberg
June 24, 2025 AT 10:47

USA still the only one doing real space outreach. china's just sending robots to moon and calling it 'peaceful cooperation'. meanwhile, we're letting gamers ask astronauts what they snack on. that's leadership.

also, don pettit is a national treasure. if he ever runs for office i'm voting for him.
Steve Williams
June 25, 2025 AT 06:43

NASA good. Africa still waiting for our own space station. Why we always watch others do things? We need our own space story.
Andy Persaud
June 27, 2025 AT 05:14

boring. why not just show the moon landing again?
ANGEL ROBINSON
June 27, 2025 AT 15:23

This isn't just about outreach-it's about redefining what public science looks like. For decades, space felt like a cathedral: distant, silent, sacred. Now it's a living room. People aren't just watching-they're participating.

That’s the real breakthrough. When a teenager in Ohio asks how to grow plants in microgravity and an astronaut answers live? That’s not education. That’s connection.

And it’s not just about inspiring future engineers. It’s about reminding everyone that science isn’t a wall you stare at-it’s a conversation you join.

They’re not broadcasting from the ISS. They’re inviting us in. And that changes everything.
Deborah Canavan
June 27, 2025 AT 18:15

I’ve been watching space stuff since the 70s and honestly, this feels like the first time it’s actually reached me. Not because it’s flashy or loud, but because it’s quiet in the right way. Like when Pettit just sat there for a minute, floating, not saying anything, just looking out the cupola. No script. No hype. Just... space.

And the way the chat just... faded out for a bit? Like everyone was holding their breath? That’s the magic. That’s the moment you realize you’re not just watching astronauts-you’re sharing their perspective.

I used to think space was about rockets and numbers. Now I think it’s about silence. And how rare it is to find silence that doesn’t feel empty.

Also, the fact that they didn’t edit out the moment when Dominick’s sock floated away and he just chuckled? That’s the humanity. That’s the stuff that sticks.