The aftermath of SpaceX’s launch of satellites into space from Southern California was witnessed across state lines and hundreds of miles. Many, however, did not know what to make of the stunning sights lighting up the sky.
Falcon 9 launched 10 satellites to low-Earth orbit Friday night, from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, about 158 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Falcon 9 is a family of two-stage-to-orbit medium lift launch vehicles.
Some residents in Southern California, unaware of the launch, took to social media to share their experiences.
“I think I just saw a UFO wtf if you in Compton did y’all just see that in the sky ?? We need answers #Aliens#ufo#compton never seen anything like that !!” an instagrammer from Compton in Los Angeles County wrote.
Founder, CEO and lead designer at SpaceX, Elon Musk, joined in on the fun.
Another who initially thought the launch was an extraterrestrial, but then learned of the launch, tweeted, "I was really hoping for aliens."
Those who were aware of SpaceX’s launch also shared their experiences on social media.
One Twitter user snapped a picture of the rocket blasting into space.
While describing how awesome the launch was to witness, another person remarked: “The aftercloud was even more awesome.”
One person fortunate to only step outside their house to witness the launch, tweeted: “SpaceX rocket passing by our house!”