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On October 13, 2026, a stunning display lit up the early morning sky as SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched, carrying the Dragon spacecraft. The rocket’s exhaust plume, illuminated by the sunlight, created a mesmerizing image resembling a jellyfish.
Witness this breathtaking occurrence known as a “jellyfish” when rockets launch near sunrise or sunset. The sunlight hitting the high atmosphere’s exhaust gases causes the expanding plume to shine brightly against the dark sky.
Explore more about jellyfish here.
Spectacular Sky Display from SpaceX Launch
The mission took off at 6:33 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, creating visible illuminated exhaust plumes across the eastern United States. Observers were treated to a spectacular view of the rocket’s journey into space.
This launch marked SpaceX’s 35th commercial resupply mission to NASA, delivering crucial scientific experiments, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station.
New Space Station Upgrades and Medical Experiments
Among the cargo onboard Dragon is the final set of the International Space Station’s rollout solar array, IROSA. These additional solar panels will be installed later this fall to increase the orbiting laboratory’s power capabilities.
The spacecraft also carries equipment for various scientific investigations that could lead to important breakthroughs in medicine and materials science.
One experiment focuses on fabricating a retinal prosthesis under microgravity conditions, offering potential vision restoration for individuals with vision loss. Another study utilizes 3D heart tissue models to advance drug testing methods during future space missions.
Additional experiments will observe the formation of a new type of glass in microgravity, along with exploring brain organoids to uncover treatments for neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis.
Source: www.sciencedaily.com
