NASA has generated thousands of hours of amazing footage during its adventures in space. Now it’s going live with HD Earth View streaming over the internet from the International Space Station.

NASA has big plans for their live streaming technology too. With the push to send a manned mission to Mars by 2035 NASA may soon be streaming live from Mars and beyond.

Presented for your viewing pleasure is the latest view from on high, peering back at our Blue Planet. Sit back, relax and get ready to brief journey into space.

Live streaming video by Ustream

NASA’s HD Earth View uses four HD cameras that have been strategically located around the International Space Station., stowed securely in the overhead compartments.

With the flick of a switch NASA has opened space up to everyone. Giving the world the most amazing view of our planet. From time to time the signal drops out but patience is rewarded with incredible live views as the ISS speeds along at the edge of space.

When the crew are on duty the footage switches to inside the ISS, then after hours the outside cameras begin streaming again. With each orbit taking 40 minutes the view outside changes constantly, a beautiful sight.

NASA has plans for even more exotic live streaming locations, the Moon, an asteroid orbiting the moon and eventually Mars. All manned live streams. See the NASA video below.

NASA has been publicizing its plans recently, this week a video highlighted their plans to return to manned missions into space.

The first stage in their plans is designed to perfect the technologies on the Moon, with the help of a captured asteroid placed into orbit around the mood. The second stage and the giant leap is a manned mission to Mars. Both being incredible live streaming opportunities as well as incredible opportunities to learn and make new discoveries.

The vehicle that will take mankind back into space will be the SLS rocket and the Orion manned module. Lifting 63 tonnes the initial Space Launch System will lift nearly twice as much payload as the shuttle.  The payload weight will increase to 120 tonnes in the future, just shy of the Saturn V’s 130 tonne payload. Interesting the SLS has a bit of shuttle in her; the SLS engines are based on the Shuttles engines. Shuttle engine 2.0.

Sitting atop the SLS on manned missions will be the new Orion crew capsule. Based on a tried and tested design but built with the latest materials this is all about getting the job done at a fraction of the shuttles cost.

The humble spacesuit has also been given an overhaul for this new phase of NASA exploration. NASA’s Buzz Lightyear spacesuit has been designed to give more protection and mobility while also being quicker to get into. LED panels on the front of the suit will not only provide high visibility but the different colours will be used to identify individual astronauts, letting them know who is who behind the helmet.

With long term plans in place and publicized NASA now has to make it happen, and stream it live. With such ambitious plans there is sure to many spectacular adventures on the journey to Mars, and beyond.