Latest news with #Transporter14
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Stargazers in Europe spot a strange cloud from SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket treated stargazers in Europe to a surprise display on the night of June 23, when a plume of rocket propellant briefly became visible to the naked eye. SpaceX's Transporter 14 mission lifted off from California's Vanderberg Space Force Base earlier this week carrying 70 commercial payloads bound for low-Earth orbit aboard one of the company's workhorse Falcon 9 rockets. The June 23 launch saw the first stage of the reusable rocket make a controlled landing on the droneship "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Pacific Ocean, while the payload-bearing upper stage powered on to its target orbit. Transporter 14's upper stage proceeded to deploy its payloads and release a plume of rocket propellant prior to re-entering Earth's atmosphere, which quickly froze and reflected sunlight, becoming visible to eagle-eyed stargazers in Europe. Luckily, the Virtual Telescope Project's all sky camera captured the diffuse cloud of particles in the night sky above Manciano, Italy at 8:13 p.m. EDT on June 23 (0013 GMT June 24) alongside the softly glowing, dust choked band of the Milky Way. Oxfordshire-based astrophotographer and science communicator Mary McIntyre also recorded a number of time-lapse videos around the same time as the plume passed swiftly over the U.K., using meteor and aurora-hunting cameras. Similar plumes have been spotted in the wake of previous rideshare missions where a Falcon 9 upper stage has been ordered to perform a fuel purge. The orientation and movement of rocket upper stages have been known to create unique patterns and majestic swirls in the night sky, though on this occasion the propellant lacked any such defined structure. Some scientists believe that rocket propellant may play a part in the formation of high altitude 'night shining' noctilucent clouds - a phenomenon that is more common at northerly altitudes, but has been spotted manifesting closer to the equator in recent decades.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
SpaceX to launch 150 capsules of ashes and DNA into space; here's why people are doing it
Image: TEC In a mission that blends space exploration with personal tribute, SpaceX is preparing to launch over 150 capsules containing cremated human remains and DNA samples into low Earth orbit on June 23. The launch is part of the Transporter 14 rideshare mission and features a collaboration between Houston-based space burial company Celestis and European spacecraft firm The Exploration Company (TEC). Dubbed the Perseverance Flight, the symbolic journey allows families from around the world to send loved ones, or a piece of themselves, into space, either in memoriam or as a legacy of cosmic curiosity. This unique mission will orbit Earth before reentering and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. SpaceX mission turns final farewells into orbital journeys Since 1994, Celestis has pioneered space burial services , offering people the chance to honour their loved ones with a final journey beyond Earth. The Perseverance Flight represents the company's 25th mission and 12th 'Earth Rise' flight, in which remains are sent into orbit and then returned. Unlike deep space or lunar memorials, this Earth orbit mission allows the capsules to be recovered, giving families a keepsake that has truly travelled through space. A diverse passenger list, from pets to presidents by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What She Did Mid-Air Left Passengers Speechless medalmerit Learn More Undo Celestis has previously flown the remains and DNA of celebrities, pets, and even historical icons. Past missions have included symbolic remains of U.S. presidents like George Washington and John F. Kennedy, as well as Star Trek legends such as Gene Roddenberry and Nichelle Nichols. This time, among the participants is 3-year-old Matteo Barth, who will become the youngest European to send DNA into space, symbolically joining his late grandfather, a space enthusiast. How the mission works The memorial capsules will be housed inside TEC's Mission Possible spacecraft, which will launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. After reaching orbit, the capsule will complete two or three circuits around Earth before reentry. The payload will then splash down in the Pacific, where recovery teams will retrieve it and return the capsules to families as space-flown mementoes. Why people are choosing space burials For many, sending DNA or ashes into space offers a meaningful, personalised way to honour someone who loved science, exploration, or the cosmos. Others see it as a way to symbolically become part of humanity's spacefaring future. The act turns remembrance into an extraordinary voyage, often fulfilling lifelong dreams of touching the stars, if only in symbolic form. This is TEC's second demonstration mission before the debut of its Nyx Earth orbital vehicle, planned to dock with the ISS by 2028. For Celestis, the partnership represents new possibilities in accessible space memorials. As commercial spaceflight becomes more routine, missions like this reflect how deeply space has entered the realm of human storytelling and legacy.
