SpaceX rocket launch creates incredible 'space jellyfish' visible throughout US East Coast (photos)
The SpaceX cargo launch to the International Space Station on Tuesday morning (Oct. 13) created a dazzling display seen up and down the US East Coast.
On Tuesday morning, October 13, SpaceX launched the CRS-35 mission for NASA from Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Dragon spacecraft, took flight at 6:35 a.m. EDT (1035 GMT). As the rocket climbed through the Earth's atmosphere, its expanding engine plume grew wider and was illuminated by the early dawn light, creating a stunning sight visible across the United States East Coast.
Many spectators likened the glowing, jellyfish-like shape to a "space jellyfish." Ellen Alence, who captured the sight from her farm in Colbert, Georgia, shared her surprise at the phenomenon, while Richard Mack Wilson-Leigh from Durham, North Carolina, initially mistook the rocket for a comet before marveling at its beauty. The Falcon 9 rocket's stage separation occurred about 2.5 minutes after liftoff, placing the second stage on a trajectory to the International Space Station, where it would deliver over 6,300 scientific investigations and cargo.
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