NASA captures SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launch from ISS.
On January 15th, SpaceX’s latest Falcon Heavy launch was captured from a rare perspective. Cameras installed on the International Space Station happened to be in the right place and at the right time to capture the launch from orbit. The twilight liftoff emphasized and lit up the rocket’s miles-long exhaust plume against a darkening sky, producing a show that was both familiar and exceptional.
The exhaust plume created artificial clouds and was especially noticeable at the limits of Earth’s atmosphere, around 50 miles (80 km) up. The contrails caught sunlight hours before or after the sun sets or rises at the surface, and Falcon Heavy’s artificial noctilucent clouds lasted for several minutes. The ISS was able to take photos of the clouds as it flew over the Atlantic Ocean far downrange.
The launch was also captured from the air, and the Falcon Heavy’s upper stage operated for another six or so hours in orbit before deploying two US military spacecraft into a geosynchronous orbit (GSO). This was SpaceX’s second such Falcon Heavy launch for the US military in less than three months and was ultimately a complete success.
Since its successful February 2018 launch debut, Falcon Heavy has already won multiple NASA launch contracts. These include the basis of the agency’s Gateway lunar space station, the Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter, and the Psyche mission to an asteroid made of metal. The Psyche mission is scheduled to launch in October 2023 and will be Falcon Heavy’s first dedicated launch for NASA.
Overall, the rare launch of a Falcon Heavy rocket was spectacularly captured from the ISS and from the air. Although the launch was primarily for the US military, the show it produced was enjoyed by many, and the success of the mission further highlights the potential of Falcon Heavy for future launches.
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