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Space launch live streaming
Space launch live streaming is the act of broadcasting rocket space launches onto media outlets, including television services and live streaming websites. NASA TV was the original provider of these live streams for the US as they were established since the beginning of the space program as a way for NASA engineers and managers to have real-time footage of missions. In modern day these real-time video feeds of space launches are accessed via online streaming services such as the US-based sites like Twitch or YouTube.

While NASA has been gathering footage of their launches for decades, their first live streamed Space launch on YouTube was in 2013, with their earliest Twitch live stream being in 2017.

These launches can and are also streamed by users across live streaming websites. The popularization of this hobby has also lead to the emergence of always live channels that stream Space satellite footage.

History
The most popular instance of a space launch broadcast was during the Apollo 11 mission which had about 600 million people watching in 1969. This launch was broadcasted across television networks including an all night BBC broadcast of the event. All three major US television networks (CBS, NBC, and ABC) covered the Apollo 11 mission in its entirety for the general populous to be informed. This was the mark of the first live lunar television broadcast.

NASA broadcasted their first live stream on Twitch 2017. Their first space launch broadcast took place the next year with the GOES-S Launch.

SpaceX broadcasted their first live stream on YouTube May 23rd or 2012.

Official Co-Streams
These are live streams in which the space launches are broadcasted along some sort of panel or talking table with experts or guests related to the field. They are typically hosted by the company who is launching the aircraft, along with NASA. SpaceX partners with NASA to stream their launches along side other space experts. These live streams have evolved to include real time data such at countdowns, mission progress, and altitude/speed.

General Streams
Users of live streaming websites set up their own cameras and broadcast their own footage. The same way media gets access to launches, they often times have public viewing areas.

Streaming numbers
SpaceX holds the record for most-watched online event ever with the launch of the Demo-2 missions. It is estimated that they had at least 10.3 million concurrent viewers across all of their platforms.

Negative press
With the successful launch of Blue Origin's spacecraft in July of 2021, the motives of the billionaires funding these trips was brought into question. Most notably, Jeff Bezos was a passenger in that flight.

A Pew Research Center poll published in 2018 showed that the general population was split almost evenly when asked about the future endeavors of space exploration. Along with believing that "NASA should prioritize monitoring the Earth’s climate and atmosphere for asteroids and debris above sending manned trips to outer space."