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# A rocket in the sky
- URL: https://www.taiwanquest.com/a-rocket-in-the-sky/
- Published: 2026-04-13T09:36:56.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-25T10:52:35.000Z
- Description: Video of a Chinese rocket from across the South China Sea…
- Author: Zhen-Kang

Two nights ago, I joined a friend for dinner at Old Daddy Farm (老爸農場). The name’s a misnomer: it’s actually an outdoor café immediately adjacent to Kaohsiung International Airport. There’s no farm, and there are few—if any—old daddies.

But what Old Daddy Farm does offer is a great view across the runway, and towards the flight paths of approaching aircraft:

![A daytime view of the Old Daddy Farm outdoor cafe. There are dozens of people sitting at tables under sun umbrellas, and looking out towards the airport. A jet is moving down the runway, just beyond the cafe’s boundary fence.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5e/e3/5ee3f160-68a0-49ef-af6f-ec70abc1d13e/content/images/2026/04/old-daddy-farm-planespotter-cafe-next-to-kaohsiung-international-airport.webp)

A photo from a previous visit. Unsurprisingly, Old Daddy Farm is popular with plane spotters.

Anyway, at 7:35pm on Saturday night, my friend saw an unusual light in the sky. South-west of the airport, it appeared be moving at the speed of a regular aircraft. But it had a powerful light projecting outwards, seemingly perpendicular to the direction of travel.

After around 40 seconds, the light just faded away.

Here’s a grainy video from my phone (at 3× optical zoom):

[youtube.com/watch?v=3pC-XH9nVmo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pC-XH9nVmo)

We speculated wildly, but our theories all had holes.

We never considered it might’ve been a rocket.

But then, via Reddit, I visited [SpaceLauchLive.com](https://spacelaunchlive.com/launches/smart-dragon-3-satnet-test-satellite/) and learned it was actually a Chinese *Smart Dragon 3* rocket, which had launched from a floating rocket pad in the South China Sea, just three minutes earlier:

![A map showing the trajectory of a rocket launch over the South China Sea.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5e/e3/5ee3f160-68a0-49ef-af6f-ec70abc1d13e/content/images/2026/04/smart-dragon-3-rocket-launch-map-2026-04-11.webp)

The April 11, 2026 rocket launch map. Note the relative location of Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan. Source: [SpaceLaunchLive.com](https://spacelaunchlive.com/launches/smart-dragon-3-satnet-test-satellite/).

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I never thought I’d see a rocket.

Let alone over sweet potato fries and a coffee shake at Old Daddy Farm.

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