A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Tuesday morning was seen streaking across the sky over the Cape Fear region, according to a photo shared by Wilmington residents Brent and Josie Carter. The rocket carried Starlink satellites and lifted off around 2:30 a.m. Eastern Time, visible to observers in Holden Beach and nearby areas. SpaceX routinely launches Starlink missions from the Florida spaceport, and such sightings are occasionally reported in North Carolina when weather and flight paths align.
The Falcon 9’s first-stage booster returned to Cape Canaveral for a landing shortly after liftoff, a standard procedure for SpaceX missions. The rocket’s trajectory allowed it to be seen as a bright light or glowing streak moving eastward across the sky from the Wilmington area. Similar sightings have been reported in the Cape Fear region following previous launches, though no specific details about the rocket’s appearance or duration were provided by witnesses.
Rocket launches from Florida can sometimes be visible in southeastern North Carolina, depending on atmospheric conditions and the rocket’s flight path. The last local sighting of a SpaceX launch was reported in April, though no further details about that event were included in official records. SpaceX has conducted over 100 Starlink launches since 2019, with most occurring from Cape Canaveral or nearby Kennedy Space Center.
Residents in the Cape Fear area who saw the rocket described it as a brief but striking event. No injuries or disruptions were reported, and no additional information about the mission’s payload or timeline was shared by SpaceX. The company has not commented on the visibility of this particular launch.