An astronaut from NASA who was stationed on the International Space Station amazed the online community with a photograph that makes us feel minuscule.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit revealed his astounding viewpoint of a SpaceX test rocket launch, captured from his vantage point in space.
The photograph dates back to November 19, 2024, coinciding with SpaceX’s sixth test launch of its Starship rocket from their launch site in Boca Chica, Texas.
During this period, Pettit was part of Expedition 72 aboard the International Space Station.
Throughout the mission, the crew dedicated over 1,000 hours to scientific research, which included projects like metal 3D printing, stem cell research, preparing a wooden satellite, and experiments on plant growth in microgravity conditions.
Living 408 kilometers (approximately 250 miles) away from Earth offers astronauts an extraordinary perspective on our planet.
In addition to their unique vantage point, astronauts circle our globe 16 times a day, allowing for the capture of breathtaking visuals. Social media extends the opportunity for them to share these rare glimpses with the world.
When Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, supervised the sixth test launch of Starship in November, he was accompanied by a large audience, including former President Donald Trump. While they had an impressive view from the ground, Pettit witnessed the event from an unparalleled angle in space.
The launch, which lasted slightly over an hour and five minutes, concluded with Starship’s Super Heavy booster landing in the Gulf of Mexico, as its upper stage, Ship 31, successfully reignited its engine in orbit and performed a controlled re-entry into the Indian Ocean.
This launch marked the first instance of a Raptor engine being restarted in orbit, which is crucial for future reusability and deep-space explorations.
Coincidentally, the International Space Station was perfectly positioned during the launch, enabling Pettit to capture his extraordinary photograph.
Considering the alignment of conditions for this to occur is remarkable; the ISS needed to pass directly over the launch site at the exact moment of liftoff, combined with ideal weather and lighting conditions, and an astronaut prepared with a camera.
Sharing on Reddit’s R/Space forum on August 30, Pettit posted the image of the launch viewed from space and commented: “My best photo of the SpaceX Starship Flight 6 launch, taken during Expedition 72 to the ISS.”
“Our orbit was very fortunate to have a brief visual overlap with Starbase shortly after launch, allowing me to photograph this remaining exhaust trail and the surrounding region.”
The photograph vividly shows SpaceX’s Starship exhaust plume rising above the Gulf of Mexico, contrasted against the vast land and water below.
One Reddit user responded, “Amazing photo and thank you for doing what you do!” while another remarked, “That shot is absolutely incredible. You captured history.”
Starship successfully completed its tenth flight test on August 26, moving SpaceX closer to utilizing their rockets for NASA’s Artemis Moon landings and potentially for future Mars missions and beyond.