I’m not exactly a space cadet, but since I was nearby I figured I should at least watch the launch this past Tuesday morning. So at 6am I parked at the beach access that the turtle ranger from the day before had recommended. There are closer viewing spots but those tend to fill up much earlier in the morning than I was willing to deal with. I used a railing to support my phone, and I must say, I’m pretty pleased with the results.

This launch from Canaveral Space Force Station was carrying cargo for the International Space Station, packed with over 6,000 pounds of science equipment and supplies. The Cargo Dragon’s journey to the ISS was scheduled to take two days.

In my video below, you can see the white speck of the spacecraft leaving the “space jelly” cloud on its way to the ISS while at the end the orange glow is the first stage booster returning to Landing Zone 40 near the launch pad. I read that it was the 8th successful launch and return for that booster, which seems pretty impressive to me considering the incredible heat and pressure it must encounter each time.

If you want to watch a launch, there’s another one scheduled for Monday, October 19, 2026 at 3:30am.