NASA bringing space closer to home

NASA has partnered with a start-up venture to produce a digital gallery

of photos and video clips, create a space Web portal and produce documentaries

and TV content from NASA's sound and video resources.

The public/private partnership between NASA and Dreamtime Holdings Inc.,

announced Friday at NASA's Ames Research Center, is designed to provide

unprecedented public access to space exploration through multimedia.

The company and its partners also will install high-definition TV cameras

and equipment at NASA centers and on the International Space Station to

enable scientists and the public to view experiments. The cameras also will

enhance the safety of space station operations by allowing medical experts

on the ground to assist astronauts in emergencies.

Content will be accessible via the Internet, wireless devices, TV and

interactive TV devices.

Dreamtime's partners include Hollywood's Endeavor Agency, Excite@Home,

Lockheed Martin Corp., Sumitomo Bank and OmniCom.

One of the goals is to bring digital video of space experiments to classrooms

live on TV and the Internet.

"We are now crossing the digital divide and we are taking the next giant

leap," said Nancy Conrad, the first member of Dreamtime's board of directors

and widow of astronaut Pete Conrad, who flew on the Gemini 5, Gemini 11

and Apollo 12 missions.

Pete Conrad later started companies such as Universal Space Network

and Universal Space Lines to commercialize space operations and transportation

to space. The deal to commercialize NASA's space station activities and

archives is in keeping with that vision, Nancy Conrad said.