A resident of Port Orange filmed a SpaceX rocket launch from a vantage point 25 miles west of Cape Canaveral, providing a view not typically seen by launch observers. The video, posted by the Daytona Beach News-Journal, shows the rocket’s plume visible against the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean. The footage was shared online after being submitted to the newspaper’s website.
The launch, part of SpaceX’s routine cargo missions to the International Space Station, took place on March 15 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. The Port Orange location offered a clear line of sight to the launchpad, with minimal obstructions from the surrounding terrain. Local resident Maria Gonzalez, who filmed the event, said she noticed the rocket’s ascent about 15 minutes before liftoff due to the bright plume visible from her home.
SpaceX has conducted over 20 launches from the Cape since 2020, with most viewed from nearby towns like Cocoa Beach or Titusville. Gonzalez’s video highlights how residents in western Brevard County can sometimes see launches without traveling to traditional viewing areas. The footage shows the rocket’s first-stage separation and the second stage’s ignition, moments captured by Gonzalez’s camera.
The Daytona Beach News-Journal received the video through its website’s user-submitted content portal. Editor Tom Reynolds said the clip adds to the newspaper’s archive of local perspectives on space launches. The video is available on the newspaper’s website with a caption noting the date and location of the launch.