Baby monitor provides live video of NASA mission

A mother of two in Chicago does not have to turn on the news for an update on NASA's space mission.

Photo: Baby monitor provides live video of NASA mission

She just flips on her baby monitor.

Since Sunday, Natalie Meilinger's baby monitor has been picking up black-and-white video from inside the space shuttle Atlantis.

"Whoever has a baby monitor knows what you'll usually see," said the elementary school science teacher. "No one would ever expect this."

Live video of the mission is available on NASA's Web site, so it is possible the monitor is picking up a signal from somewhere nearby.

"It's not coming straight from the shuttle," NASA spokeswoman Brandi Dean said. "People here think this is very interesting and you don't hear of it often - if at all."

Summer Infant, the monitor's manufacturer, is still investigating what could be causing the transmission, said communications director Cindy Barlow. She said she has never heard of anything similar happening.

"Not even close," she said. "Gotta love technology."

Meilinger silenced disbelieving co-workers by bringing in a video of the monitor to show her class on Tuesday, her students' last day of school. At home, 3-month-old Jack and 2-year-old Rachel do not quite understand what their parents are watching.

"I've been addicted to it and keep waiting to see what's next," Meilinger said.