‘GMA’ gets ready to liftoff with Michael Strahan

ABC and “Good Morning America” are gearing up for another round coverage of a commercial space launch — but this time it involves one of their own.

Michael Strahan’s space flight delayed due to weather https://t.co/utckEXB5c0 #TVNews #BroadcastNews

— TVNewsMix (@TVNewsMix) December 9, 2021

As previously announced, “GMA” co-anchor Michael Strahan is traveling aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft.

The launch was scheduled for Dec. 9, 2021 but got delayed due to weather and ABC News was planning live coverage starting at 8 a.m. eastern as part of “GMA.”

It’s promoting the coverage with a colorful promo that has a bit of a colorful retro feel. Some ABC stations were still airing promos promising coverage right before “GMA” hit the air Thursday morning.

Select versions of the spot also include a live countdown in days, hours, minutes and seconds inserted in realtime in a lower third style banner that has the “GMA” logo in a circle to the left with a circular “indicator” ring around it, a nod to the hashmark and circular elements in the show’s graphics.

Advertisement

Also used are a series of techno-style accents, including blue elements that combine angled segments, rings, circles, outlines and hashmarks as well as the ABC globe positioned vertically on the right side of the screen, a somewhat unusual placement for it. 

Strahan has already been appearing on “GMA” the week of Dec. 3, 2021, with previews as he preps for the mission.

The countdown typically appears during these segments, in both the “down to the second” and day only format.

ABC is branding the entire event under the name “Michael’s Liftoff to Space” and even got custom apparel made for the event, which Strahan has been wearing on air.

Strahan last anchored “GMA” on Dec. 3, 2021 and the first official day of training was Dec. 6, 2021.