Brevard County photographers snapped images of SpaceX’s Starlink rocket lifting off last week, its bright trail visible against the darkening sky. The launch, which occurred around 8:30 p.m. near Cape Canaveral, drew dozens of residents to nearby beaches and observation points. Local photographer Maria Lopez said the scene was 'unusual' to see the rocket’s glow so clearly after sunset. 'It felt like the sky was lit up for a few minutes,' she added. SpaceX confirmed the mission’s success, with the satellites deploying as planned into low Earth orbit. The company has launched over 3,000 Starlink satellites since 2020 to provide global broadband internet. Residents in the Cocoa and Titusville areas reported seeing the rocket’s contrail for several minutes after liftoff. The launch marked the 15th Starlink mission this year from the Space Coast, according to SpaceX’s public tracking data. 'We’re used to seeing rockets during the day, but this was different,' said John Carter, a retiree who traveled from Melbourne to witness the event. 'It was almost like watching fireworks in the sky.' The Florida Space Coast is home to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and remains a hub for commercial space launches. SpaceX’s Starlink program has faced scrutiny over light pollution concerns, but the company says it works with astronomers to minimize impacts. The launch was visible from as far north as Daytona Beach and as far south as the Kennedy Space Center’s visitor complex. Local officials said no disruptions were reported during the mission, which used a Falcon 9 rocket that landed back at Cape Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. The next Starlink launch is scheduled for early next month, pending weather conditions.