CÁMARAS DE LA NASA EN VIVO

Watch Earth live from the International Space Station

NASA streams live, without scheduled cuts, the image captured by the high-definition cameras mounted on the exterior of the International Space Station. It's one of the most fascinating free things you can do from your phone or computer: watch the Earth spin beneath you, in real time, from 400 kilometers up.

What is NASA's HDEV/UHD live stream?

For years, NASA has kept high-definition cameras running on the exterior of the ISS, pointed at Earth. The original program, known as HDEV (High Definition Earth Viewing), proved that commercial HD cameras could operate in the space environment for long stretches, and laid the groundwork for the UHD (ultra-high-definition) cameras currently used for the public broadcast. The feed is streamed live, unedited: what you see is exactly what the cameras are capturing at that moment, with the occasional exception that NASA switches the angle or briefly interrupts the signal during station maneuvers, spacecraft dockings, or maintenance work.

Since it's a continuous broadcast, there's no need to wait for a specific time slot or register anywhere: you can check it any time on our live page, where the stream is already embedded and ready to play.

Why the feed sometimes goes completely black

This is, by far, the most common question from anyone watching the stream for the first time: suddenly the image goes dark, as if the camera had switched off. It's not a technical glitch or a problem with your connection: the ISS has entered Earth's shadow.

The station completes one full orbit around the planet every 90-93 minutes, which means it experiences about 16 "days" and 16 "nights" in every 24-hour period. During the nighttime portion of each orbit, the part of Earth the ISS is flying over receives no sunlight, so the camera simply picks up darkness, aside from occasional city lights or lightning flashes. It's a completely normal, predictable phenomenon: if you see a black screen, just wait a few minutes for the station to fly back over the sunlit side of the planet.

What you can see on the stream

When the camera passes over the sunlit side of Earth, the view can be extraordinary. Here are some of the things that most often surprise viewers watching the live feed:

• Northern and southern lights seen from above: bands of green and violet light rippling over the poles, an angle that's simply impossible to get from the ground.
• Large-scale storms and cloud systems, including lightning that shows up as brief flashes over oceans and continents.
• Cities lit up at night, with major metro areas drawing instantly recognizable maps of light across the darkened planet.
• Up to 16 sunrises and sunsets a day: because the ISS orbits so fast, the line separating day and night (the terminator) crosses the frame constantly, producing orange and gold tones several times an hour.
• Coastlines, mountain ranges, deserts, and polar ice, which look different depending on the season and the time of the flyover.

Is there only one camera?

Not necessarily. Over the years, NASA has installed several different exterior cameras on the station, pointed at different angles, and at certain times the public feed may switch between them or show slightly different views depending on which module or mounting point houses the active camera. It isn't always announced exactly which camera is in use at any given moment, so the most reliable approach is simply to enjoy whatever view the player is showing at that time.

Is it free, and do I need to install anything?

No. The stream is a free, public broadcast that doesn't require registration, an account, or any additional app. All you need is a browser and an internet connection. You can watch it directly on our live page, already embedded and verified.

Frequently asked questions

Why does NASA's camera sometimes go black?

Because the ISS passes through Earth's shadow on every orbit. The station circles the planet every 90 minutes, and for part of that time it's on the night side, with no sunlight reaching the Earth below the camera. It's a completely normal phenomenon that repeats about 16 times a day.

Is watching the stream free?

Yes. NASA's live stream from the ISS is a free public broadcast, with no registration or subscription required.

Is it live 24 hours a day?

The signal is available continuously, but what it shows changes constantly: stretches of sunlit Earth, stretches in the nighttime shadow, and occasionally technical interruptions or camera switches during station maneuvers.

What's the best thing you can see?

Northern and southern lights seen from above, large-scale storms and cloud systems, cities lit up at night, and up to 16 sunrises and sunsets a day thanks to the station's orbital speed.