SpaceX launched another batch of Starlink satellites to orbit on a southeasterly trajectory late in the evening on September 15, 2023. This video was recorded at the Banana River Bridge on FL-528 (the Beachline) in Cape Canaveral.

A couple of notes: this video was the first one where I fully stabilized the output. Camera shake was all but eliminated using a combination of a much-improved tripod setup with a “liquid” video head on it. That gear dampens camera movement and provides a much steadier platform. Even a liquid head will leave some movement, especially with a long telephoto lens that is pointed 75º-85º skywards. To fix that, I also used Adobe After Effects and removed that movement. I think the final video came out much better.

This video also convinced me that I needed to change the camera’s sensor sensitivity setup as well. Rocket plumes are very bright, and capturing them accurately with normal settings is difficult. Fortunately, technology has evolved to the point where one can use a logarithmic look-up table (LUT) that increases the image’s dynamic range — brighter and dimmer areas are recorded more accurately. Unfortunately, using this method overwhelms the internal storage of the camera and therefore an external screen recorder is required. That’s on the way and I’ll start using it sometime in October 2023.

Launch Facts:

• Date: September 15, 2023
• Time: 11:38PM EDT
• Place: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
• Pad: SLC-40
• Booster: B1078
• Mission: 5
• Previous Launch: August 7, 2023
• Landing: Offshore
• Drone Ship: Just Read The Instructions