High Above Down Under Series

  • Released Tuesday, June 13, 2023
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Around a different star, Earth may never have developed life at all. So what makes a star friendly to life? We joined two rocket teams as they traveled to the remote Northern Territory of Australia to capture light from our closest stellar neighbors to help reveal the answer. Follow their journey in the 6-part video series High Above Down Under. Episodes released weekly starting June 27, 2023.

High Above Down Under Series Trailer

Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.

Complete transcript available.

There are likely billions of planets in our galaxy. With over 5,000 already confirmed, how do we know which ones might hold life?

Two NASA sounding rockets are launching from Australia to find out which stars make for habitable hosts. We’re following those rocket teams Down Under to show you what it takes to launch a rocket and make groundbreaking scientific measurements.

Hang on tight – we’re going on an adventure High Above Down Under!

Music Credit: "Epic Earth" by Andy Hopkins (PRS), Dean Mahoney (PRS), Jacob Nicholas Stonewall Jackson (PRS) via Universal Production Music

Episode 1: A Star Fit For Life

Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.

Complete transcript available.


Follow two NASA rocket teams as they launch from Australia to study our nearest stellar neighbors – Alpha Centauri A & B – on a quest to understand how stars make the planets around them suitable for life. 

Music credits: “Epic Earth” by Andy Hopkins [PRS], Dean Mahoney [PRS], Jacob Nicholas Stonewall Jackson [PRS]; “Nature in Motion” and “Driving Motion” by Fred Dubois [SACEM]; “Social Issues” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “The Great Divide” by Ian Paul Livingstone [PRS] from Universal Production Music.

Additional footage: Office of the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory government, Equatorial Launch Australia

Additional graphics: Vecteezy.com

Sound effects: Pixabay

Episode 2: Living With the Stars

Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.

Complete transcript available.

In this episode, hear from a local Yolngu leader and learn what it takes to make a rocket range from scratch.

Music credits: “The Wilderness” by Benjamin James Parsons [PRS]; “Epic Earth” by Andy Hopkins [PRS], Dean Mahoney [PRS], Jacob Nicholas Stonewall Jackson [PRS]; ”Outback Sunset” by Randall Aaron Foat [ASCAP]; “Everlasting Armenian Hope” by Mathieu Fiset [SOCAN]; “Migration” by Giovanni Antonio Parricelli [PRS]; “Coastal Highways” by Ian Paul Livingstone [PRS] from Universal Production Music

Additional footage: Office of the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory government, Equatorial Launch Australia

Additional graphics: motionarray.com

Episode 3: UV Light – More Than Just Sunburns

Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.

Complete transcript available.

In this episode, Miles digs into the science behind the mission. What is UV light good for anyways?

Music credits: “Neutral Thinking” by Nicolas Montazaud [SACEM]; “Epic Earth” by Andy Hopkins [PRS], Dean Mahoney [PRS], Jacob Nicholas Stonewall Jackson [PRS]; “Tightrope Walker” by Nicolas Montazaud [SACEM], “Natural Response” by Jonathan Elias [ASCAP], Sarah Trevino [ASCAP]; “Canny Koala” by Ian Paul Livingstone [PRS]; “The Final Piece” by Jonathan Elias [ASCAP], Sarah Trevino [ASCAP] from Universal Production Music.

Additional footage: Office of the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory government, Equatorial Launch Australia

Additional graphics: Vecteezy.com; motionarray.com

High Above Down Under | Episode 4: The Final Test

Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.

Complete transcript available.

In this episode, we’ll answer that question and check in on the rockets as they make their final preparation to launch into space.

Music credits: “Mountain Forest” by Andy Hopkins [PRS], Dean Mahoney [PRS], Jacob Nicholas Stonewall Jackson [PRS]; “Epic Earth” by Andy Hopkins [PRS], Dean Mahoney [PRS], Jacob Nicholas Stonewall Jackson [PRS]; “Connectivity” by Ty Unwin [PRS]; “Driving” by Paul Hartnoll [PRS]; “Glide Shot” by Paul Hartnoll [PRS] from Universal Production Music.

Additional footage: Office of the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory government, Equatorial Launch Australia

Additional graphics: Vecteezy.com

Sound effects: Pixabay

High Above Down Under | Episode 5: To Space (And Back)

Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.

Complete transcript available.

In this episode, the moment you’ve been waiting for. Time to launch some rockets.

Music credits: “The City in the Clouds” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Epic Earth” by Andy Hopkins [PRS], Dean Mahoney [PRS], Jacob Nicholas Stonewall Jackson [PRS]; “Nanofiber” by Andrew Michael Britton [PRS], David Stephen Goldsmith [PRS]; “Synth Flow” by Paul Hartnoll [PRS]; “Algorithmic Agitation” by Jack Berman [PRS], Juno Morse [SUISA]; “Street Glide” by Paul Hartnoll [PRS]; “Baba Bossa” by Benjamin William Castle [PRS], Danny Fromajio [PRS], Will Grove-White [PRS] from Universal Production Music.

Additional footage: Office of the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory government, Equatorial Launch Australia

Additional graphics: Vecteezy.com

Sound effects: Pixabay

High Above Down Under | Episode 6: This Just Fell From Space

Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.

Complete transcript available.

In this final episode, head into the Outback to find the fallen rockets and learn what’s being discovered about the search for habitable environments.

Music credits: “Algorithmic Agitation” by Jack Berman [PRS], Juno Morse [SUISA]; “Uluru (Ayers Rock Theme)” by Klaus Tropp [GEMA], Torsten Weber [GEMA]; “Epic Earth” by Andy Hopkins [PRS], Dean Mahoney [PRS], Jacob Nicholas Stonewall Jackson [PRS]; “Heading to the Red Centre” by Ian Paul Livingstone [PRS]; “Sahara Spirit” by Eric Heber Suffrin [SACEM]; “Decisive Dimension” by Samuel Wells Ecoff [ASCAP]; “Microscopic Musings” by Samuel Wells Ecoff [ASCAP] from Universal Production Music.

Additional footage: Office of the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory government, Equatorial Launch Australia

Additional graphics: Vecteezy.com

Sound effects: Pixabay

High Above Down Under | Behind the Scenes in Australia

Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.

Complete transcript available.

In this behind-the-scenes episode, watch deleted scenes and outtakes as Miles and Mara – writers and videographers for the High Above Down Under series – recount their experience following NASA rocket teams in Australia.

Music credits: “Driving Motion” by Fred Dubois [SACEM]; “Pursuit of Happiness” by Eric Chevalier from Universal Production Music.

Additional footage: Office of the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory government, Equatorial Launch Australia

Additional graphics: Vecteezy.com

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Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

This page was originally published on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, August 9, 2023 at 11:01 AM EDT.

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