British space media company Sen is making views of the Earth from space available online. Space Live will deliver continuous live views of Earth from orbit, in ultra-high definition, including a live feed. It will be available on ITVX and other online platforms. Sen is developing a freemium business model, offering subscription options with downloads available. It is aiming to build out a network of video cameras in space.
The space coverage comes from an ultra-high-definition camera mounted on the Columbus module of European Space Agency on the International Space Station, orbiting 240km above the Earth. The payload has three camera views. A wide-angle view provides a panoramic view of the horizon. Another looks straight down, while a third looks at the forward-facing docking port of the Harmony Module on the space station.
The mission launched in March 2024 and went live in September of that year. The public livestream launched in December on the sen.com web site and went live on YouTube the following January.
Charles Black, the founder and chief executive of Sen, said “Sen was founded to democratise space through video. Partnering with ITV Studios brings our vision to life — giving millions of people the chance to see Earth exactly as astronauts see it.”
He came up with the idea that would become Sen in 1991 at the age of 19. He launched his first internet business from his bedroom, originally called Space Internet, which turned into a company Nasstar, which floated on the London Stock Exchange in 2005 and was later acquired by private equity for £80 million. He acquired the sen.com domain in 2008 and started building the service in 2016, after leaving Nasstar.
Sen is panning more camera systems for low earth orbit and plans to scale to geostationary orbit and even the Moon. Its cameras will be deployed both on its own satellites and as hosted payloads on other spacecraft.
The vision is to democratize space using video to inform, educate, inspire and benefit all humanity.