Rocket launch lights up Maricopa sky

The beautiful Thursday night sunset was accompanied by an unexpected guest, at least for those who don’t track rocket launches. 

Maricopans got a glimpse of a SpaceX rocket flying across the sky, as the sun set only minutes after its launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. 

The rocket, the Falcon 9 Block 5, was launched to send a batch of 53 satellites into orbit, as a part of the “Starlink mega-constellation,” an effort to further provide internet service around the world. 

This is certainly not the first time Maricopans have been intrigued by the sight of a rocket, as the city has had multiple make their way through its streets overnight, hauled on trailers to eventual launch points. 

Related: Rocket takes an early commute through city – InMaricopa 

At about 6:15 p.m., the rocket could be seen peeking over the Sierra Estrella Mountains as it made its way into orbit with its payload. 

Pictures were widely posted on Maricopa Facebook pages from those who were driving or happened to see it. 

At 6:23 p.m. on Thursday, SpaceX tweeted that the reusable first stage of the rocket had successfully landed on the spaceport drone named “Of Course I Still Love You.”