Residents across North Carolina woke up to an unexpected celestial show early Tuesday morning as a streak of light cut through the dawn sky. The spectacle was caused by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 6:33 a.m. Eastern time, creating a visual display that stretched far beyond the launchpad and into neighboring states.
The sighting prompted dozens of people, including those in areas like Flat Rock, to capture photos and videos of the ascent. Many witnesses shared their images with local news outlets, describing a glowing trail that illuminated the horizon during the quiet hours of the morning commute. This event follows a similar trend of high visibility launches throughout the year, echoing spectacular sightings reported back in August.
This particular journey marks the start of the CRS-35 mission, which serves as the Dragon spacecraft’s 35th commercial resupply trip to space. The vehicle is currently on an approximate 52 hour flight path toward its destination. According to SpaceX officials, the capsule is scheduled to autonomously dock with the orbiting international laboratory this coming Thursday around 11 a.m.
For those who missed the live action in their own backyards, recordings of the takeoff have been made available via various SpaceX social media channels. As private space travel continues to increase in frequency, these atmospheric displays are becoming more common sights for East Coast observers watching from their porches and driveways.
