A timelapse video captured from Indian Harbour Beach, Florida, documents the predawn launch of a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft on Tuesday, October 13. The footage, featured by NASA as the Astronomy Picture of the Day, shows the vehicle ascending into the sky from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Chasing the Space Station
The mission marks NASA’s 35th Commercial Resupply Services flight. The primary objective is to deliver cargo to the International Space Station, which is currently in low Earth orbit. In the video, the space station enters the frame from the top shortly after liftoff. A bright streak appears nearly eight seconds into the thirty-second clip, moving toward the horizon as the rocket follows the station’s path.
The visual sequence highlights the separation of the Falcon 9’s first and second stages. The exhaust plume expands into a shape described as a jellyfish, catching the light of the rising sun. This illumination occurs while the rocket is still ascending through the upper atmosphere.
First Stage Recovery
The video also records the recovery process for the rocket’s first stage. Around the twenty-second mark, the sequence of boost back, re-entry, and landing burns begins. The stage separates from the second stage, which continues toward the distant horizon with the Dragon spacecraft.
The first stage completes its descent and lands successfully at Landing Zone 40 on Earth. The exhaust plume from the launch continues to drift in the predawn sky even after the booster touches down. The footage provides a clear view of the coordination required between the launch vehicle and the orbiting station.
NASA continues to feature daily astronomical images and explanations. The next entry in the series will focus on pixels in space.
Source: NASA
