WRAL viewers in Wilmington and Greenville reported seeing a "fireball" in the skies early Monday morning. It likely wasn't a meteor they saw, but a rocket launch.
The S.S. Sally Ride spacecraft launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia at 5:32 a.m., the same time multiple people in North Carolina reported seeing something unusual in the sky.
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We have liftoff! 🚀
The S.S. Sally Ride spacecraft, named after the first American woman in space, has launched from @NASA_Wallops at 5:32am ET (1032 UTC). #CRS18pic.twitter.com/jNWpne9aPJ
— NASA (@NASA)
November 7, 2022"This was over my neighborhood," said a viewer from Wilmington who sent a photo. "It seemed to be moving quick with a burning ball in front of it."
Another viewer in Greenville said the fireball was spotted moving east at 5:30 a.m.
WCNC reported the rocket launch was indeed spotted over the Carolinas, sharing photos from La Grange, N.C., and Wilmington.
According to NASA, the S.S. Sally Ride is named after the first American woman in space. The Cygnus spacecraft, on a resupply mission, is carrying "everything from science to snacks" to the International Space Station, NASA said.
The launch was originally set for Sunday but rescheduled due to a fire alarm at the mission control center.