Nation’s Largest Hispanic Educational Media Company Unveils Initiative Encompassing Television Programming, Digital Content, and Community Outreach to Drive Interest in Space-Related Careers among Hispanics

BROOKLYN, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–HITN-TV, the nation’s leading Spanish-language media source for educational and cultural programming, announced today that it will join the global event World Space Week 2022 from Oct. 4-10, 2022 (www.hitn.tv/spaceweek/) in benefit of the Hispanic youth in the United States. HITN will offer a slate of space-themed content through its television, digital, and community outreach initiatives. The programming will be available to 40 million homes nationwide through HITN-TV, as well as on its TV-everywhere app HITN GO.

Taking part in World Space Week 2022 deeply aligns with HITN’s mission to advance the educational, cultural, and socioeconomic aspirations of U.S. Hispanics. The objective is to inspire younger generations of Latinos to explore science and technology careers by making space-focused content and information for families entertaining and accessible.

Pew Research found that even though Hispanic adults make up 17 percent of the U.S. workforce, they hold only 8 percent of available jobs in STEM fields. Guillermo Sierra, Head of Television and Digital Services for HITN, said, “Addressing the need for increased awareness about opportunities and careers in the field of space fueled HITN’s desire to actively participate in World Space Week. By showcasing the wonders of space and the science driving exploration, we provide Hispanics with a better understanding of career paths and opportunities in space-related fields – many of which take place here on Earth.”

HITN’s World Space Week initiatives are designed to ignite curiosity and give families a starting point for meaningful conversations about involvement in fields related to space.

Coordinated by the World Space Week Association (WSWA), with the support of the United Nations, World Space Week is a global initiative with more than 20 years in existence serving as an international celebration of the contributions that science and technology have made for the betterment of the human condition. In 2021, more than 6,000 events were organized in over 96 countries.

The special programming lineup for HITN-TV and HITN GO for World Space Week includes:

  • The Sun: Inferno in the Sky (Tuesday, Oct. 4, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT & 11 p.m. ET/PT; Monday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT & 11 p.m. ET/PT): presents the latest developments in solar science, including sun storms and their impact on Earth’s climate and electrical systems.
  • The Moon: Our Gateway to the Universe (Wednesday, Oct. 5, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT & 11 p.m. ET/PT): explores the most recent and most spectacular scientific breakthroughs that are shedding light on the Moon’s most enduring mysteries.
  • Mission 50-51–From ISS to Mars: Space, the Future of the Earth (Thursday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT & 11 p.m. ET/PT; Saturday, Oct. 8, 10 p.m. ET/PT): highlights the high-speed experiments and explorations conducted by the international Space Station scientists in preparation for future extended missions such as the one whose destination is Mars.
  • Zenith: Advances in Space Explorations: The Earth & the Future (Friday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT & 11 p.m. ET/PT; Sunday, Oct. 9, 10 p.m. ET/PT): focuses on the exponential advances being made in space-based research and the technology powering new discoveries.
  • Make it to the Moon: The Unsung Heroes of the Apollo (Saturday, Oct. 8, 8 p.m. ET/PT): a two-part documentary that highlights the scientists and engineers who made the Apollo missions possible through their innovation, sacrifice and spirit.
  • Super Smash (Sunday, Oct. 9, 9 p.m. ET/PT): highlights the growing problem of space trash (debris from orbits, missiles and satellites) and how it affects the success of space-related research. The program also covers ingenious inventions that may be able to clear space trash and make space missions safer.

Acclaimed biologist and conservationist Rosa Vásquez Espinoza will host HITN’s World Space Week shows. Vasquez is the founder of MicroAmazon, a multi-disciplinary project focused on exploring the still-unknown universe of extreme natural environments. Her inclusion provides aspiring Hispanic scientists with another role model as they learn about career paths and educational options to further their potential STEM careers.

“During this special programming series, it’s HITN’s goal to take viewers somewhere they’ve never been before and open their eyes to all that’s possible,” said Erika Vogt-Lowell, Director of Programming and Acquisitions for HITN. “Having Rosa Vásquez Espinoza aboard for World Space Week provides the added benefit of representation, as we showcase the success of a Hispanic female scientist for the many future scientists tuning in to our space week programming.”

As part of its community outreach efforts for World Space Week, HITN will host webinars moderated by Rosa Vásquez Espinoza, featuring international experts discussing exciting topics such as aerospace missions, climate change, careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and their impact on our community, among others. Middle schools and high schools are invited to join the one-hour webinars and participate in the Q&A sessions specifically created for their students. Schools can register at https://hitn.tv/spaceweek/webinars/.

  • The English-language webinar will take place on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 at 10 a.m. ET. Expert panelists include: Antonia Jaramillo (Public Affairs Specialist at NASA); Lili Villarreal (EGS Operations Flow Manager at NASA); and Paula do Vale Pereira (Assistant Professor of Space Systems and Aerospace Engineering at Florida Institute of Technology).
  • The Spanish-language webinar will take place on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022 at 10 a.m. ET. Expert panelists include: Sasha Sims (EGS Chief of Staff at NASA); Tomás Ahumada (Scientist, PhD Astronomy); Luis Henry Quiroga-Núñez, (Assistant Professor of Astrophysics in the Department of Aerospace, Physics and Space Sciences at the Florida Institute of Technology).

World Space Week is intended to be an educational experience about space and science for everyone, including the youngest members of the family. HITN will be extending this initiative to EDYE, its premium SVOD service designed for preschool children, available in both the United States and Latin America (www.edye.com). A variety of episodes from several world-renowned series featuring space-related content will be made available to all platform users during the week of Oct. 4-10, along with an educational guide for parents that can be used to spark conversations with their children about the fascinating world of space and beyond.

For full details about HITN’s World Space Week initiatives, please visit www.hitn.tv/spaceweek/.

About HITN-TV

HITN-TV is a leading Spanish-language media company that offers educational and cultural programming for the whole family. It reaches more than 44 million homes in the United States and Puerto Rico through DIRECTV, AT&T U-verse, AT&T TV, DISH Network, Verizon FiOS TV, Comcast Xfinity, Charter Spectrum, Mediacom, CenturyLink, Prism and Altice, Liberty Cable & Claro (Puerto Rico). Download the “HITN GO” Everywhere app available on Apple, Android, Apple TV, and Roku® with a wired subscription. For more information, visit: www.hitn.org and follow @HITNtv on social platforms.

Contacts

Yaneiza Echezarraga / 305-310-0913

yaneiza@twinmindsmedia.com