A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket transformed the early morning sky into a spectacular display of light on October 13, 2026. As the rocket climbed above Earth carrying a Dragon spacecraft, sunlight illuminated its expanding exhaust plumes, creating an enormous glowing shape that resembled a jellyfish.
This striking phenomenon, known as a “jellyfish,” occurs when a rocket launches near sunrise or sunset. Sunlight reaches the exhaust high in the atmosphere, making the spreading plume shine brightly against the darker sky below.
See a wider view of the “jellyfish.”
SpaceX Launch Creates a Spectacular Sky Display
The mission lifted off at 6:33 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The illuminated exhaust plumes were visible across the eastern United States, giving observers a remarkable view of the rocket’s journey into space.
The launch marked SpaceX’s 35th commercial resupply mission for NASA, delivering scientific experiments, essential supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station.
New Space Station Upgrades and Medical Experiments
Among the cargo aboard Dragon is the final set of International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays, known as IROSAs. These additional solar panels are scheduled for installation later this fall and will help provide electricity for the orbiting laboratory.
The spacecraft is also transporting equipment for several scientific investigations that could lead to important advances in medicine and materials science.
One experiment will explore manufacturing artificial retinas in microgravity, where the near absence of gravity creates conditions that cannot easily be reproduced on Earth. The research could help develop technologies to restore vision in people with certain forms of vision loss.
Another investigation will use 3D heart tissue models to support the development of more efficient drug testing methods during future space missions.
Additional experiments will examine how a new type of glass forms in microgravity and investigate brain organoids, miniature models of brain tissue grown from cells. These models could help researchers identify new targets for treating neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.