Crew Dragon Demo-2 Launch: How To Watch Historic NASA, SpaceX Event Live

NASA and SpaceX are gearing up for the historic launch of Crew Dragon’s Demo-2 set for May 27. Although people may not be able to see the launch live at the Kennedy Space Center, there are many ways to watch the historic event.

The Demo-2 mission will be the first time since 2011 that America will launch American astronauts on an American rocket from American soil. Even though the historic mission is taking place at a time when the United States is trying to control the spread of COVID-19, it doesn't mean people will have to miss the event.

SpaceX will provide a live coverage of the event on its website, starting four hours before the actual launch, which is set for 4:33 p.m. ET on Wednesday (May 27). Similarly, NASA will also begin its live coverage hours before the launch at 12:15 p.m. ET and will cover the prelaunch activities including the performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by singer Kelly Clarkson, the launch itself, as well as the postlaunch news conference with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, other NASA officials and a SpaceX representative.

These events can be watched live via NASA TV, which can be streamed through various platforms, from televisions to computers and mobile devices. For mobile devices, the live coverage can be watched via the NASA Live website, NASA's YouTube channel or the NASA app for both Android and iOS. The event will also be streamed live via the agency’s social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Twitch.tv.

On television, NASA TV may be watched via Roku, Pluto TV, Hulu, DirectTV, DISH Network or Google Fiber, although the agency did note using these third-party services may require either an equipment purchase or a subscription fee.

The live coverage will continue through Thursday and Friday, covering a downlink event from the Crew Dragon, docking at the International Space Station (ISS), a welcome ceremony and even a Space Station crew news conference with NASA astronauts on the ISS, including the two who will be launched aboard the Crew Dragon, Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken.

Apart from NASA and SpaceX, Discovery and Science Channel audiences may also watch the launch via the multiplatform event "Space Launch Live: America Returns To Space." It will begin airing at 2 p.m. ET and will feature celebrities such as Katy Perry, Adam Savage, and YouTube star and former NASA engineer Mark Rober.

It can be watched on both Discovery and Science Channel on TV or via the Discovery GO app.

National Geographic and ABC News are also teaming up for a multimedia event that will begin at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday and will stream on both National Geographic and the ABC News websites as well as on the ABC News YouTube channel. The event will feature correspondents reporting live from Cape Canaveral as well as exclusive interviews with former NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, current NASA astronaut Christina Koch, and other scientists and NASA officials.

With these scheduled events for the launch, people can be a part of the historic launch, no matter where they are.