NASA TV boosts its UHD broadcasts with the AJA Kumo 1616-12G router

The NASA TV audiovisual team has bolstered its UHD production flypack with the AJA Kumo 1616-12G router.

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft was deployed in 2016 to collect a sample from Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid, to help scientists learn about the origins of life and the formation of planets by examining the distribution of minerals and organic materials. To broadcast the asteroid sample collection in autumn 2020, the NASA imaging team upgraded its UltraHD production flypack, a portable three-camera production system that leverages 12G-SDI technology from the AJA Kumo 1616-12G.

The flypack features three Canon XF705 cameras with Multidyne’s VB Series fibre multiplexer equipment, which provides bi-directional 12G-SDI video, RS-422 for camera control, audio for intercom, tally and a gigabit ethernet extension. Although the flypack features robust production equipment, including a QSC Touch-Mix 16 audio card capable of handling the most complex audio scenarios, the system was developed with the aim of being as lightweight as possible.

For routing, the flypack previously used an eight-input production switcher to share sources with destinations. However, the OSIRIS-REx broadcast required twelve video sources, so it was essential for the team to upgrade the flypack with a router to handle the production.

The role of the AJA Kumo 1616-12G at NASA TV

To manage the twelve feeds and provide the team with the flexibility to route them to more destinations than was previously possible, the NASA team turned to the AJA Kumo 1616-12G router. Chosen for its size and capabilities, the Kumo 1616-12G features 16 inputs and 16 outputs. And, as its name suggests, it supports 12G-SDI for UltraHD content.

To integrate Kumo into the flypack, the team configured eight Kumo outputs to be dedicated to the eight inputs of the production switcher, giving them significant flexibility in their coverage. Similarly, the eight additional KUMO outputs were also used on a fairly regular basis throughout the event.