DOTHAN: Early risers got a free show Tuesday as a SpaceX Falcon 9 climbed into the morning sky, leaving a bright, glowing trail that drew stares and phone cameras across the region.
The mission, SpaceX CRS-35, was scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:30 a.m. Eastern. It is a NASA resupply flight carrying supplies and cargo to the International Space Station.
Morning launches tend to look especially striking. When the sun is low, the rocket’s exhaust plume catches the light while the ground below is still in shadow, which makes a glowing streak against a dark-blue sky.
Spectators who missed it can usually find replays of SpaceX launches on the company’s website and social channels.
Photos courtesy of Todd Weeks, Dothan
