SpaceX rocket brightens skies over Phoenix area, sparks curiosity, awe
Oct 8, 2018, 8:21 AM | Updated: 8:42 am
(SpaceX via AP)
PHOENIX — Billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off in California, but plenty of skywatchers in Arizona saw the fireworks, too, on its way back to Earth.
The rocket launched Sunday around 7:20 p.m. from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County, taking Argentine satellite SAOCOM 1A into the sky. The rocket’s reusable first stage landed back at the base without a problem in less than 10 minutes, a first.
Previous tests sent the first stage to offshore barges, not back to launch site.
In metro Phoenix, witnesses hit up social media with photos and videos of the peculiar streak of light and ghostlike images they saw.
My son Aidan captured the Space X launch from California. He was in Surprise, AZ He was puzzled by the strange light until I sent a link to the local news. #SpaceX #Rockets #nasa pic.twitter.com/zjHLGMZBSN
— Glenn J. Devlin (@gjdevlin) October 8, 2018
#SpaceX from my balcony in Scottsdale AZ pic.twitter.com/O9yvBNrLID
— Ryan Franklin (@ryfranklin) October 8, 2018
SpaceX launch-Phoenix AZ pic.twitter.com/sLgiJgkalK
— Mary Elizabeth Felix (@MaryFel27258204) October 8, 2018
Space X Launch from Phoenix! Awesome! #launch #SpaceX #Phoenix #azwx pic.twitter.com/gHT58bO9sP
— The Thoughts of Life (@ragevmachine) October 8, 2018
#falcon9 sighting in the Phoenix sky! So cool!! @SpaceX #Rocket #arizona pic.twitter.com/G1xwGOUMsv
— Dorie Begay (@_dorieb) October 8, 2018
Just saw the @SpaceX rocket from Phoenix, AZ! Very cool! (And kinda weird for this midwesterner) pic.twitter.com/eC4NSljiRB
— Meghan Parker (@meghaneparker) October 8, 2018
#SpaceX had me freaking out while driving. It was so pretty though! Pics don’t do it justice. #phoenix #arizona #space pic.twitter.com/7nacrFi7Ks
— Mike C (@MyNameIsMyke82) October 8, 2018