A lot of Floridians took to social media last night when a strange beam of light was seen to our east about an hour before sunrise this morning. No need to panic. The aliens are not invading. It was Elon Musk playing with one of his toys. SpaceX took off in a recycled rocket and capsule with 4 astronauts on board. They’re heading to the International Space Station. It created quite a light show for those up that late (or early).
SpaceX Crew-2 Mission Launches From Cape Canaveral
ShareSpaceX Falcon 9 rocket leaves a contrail as it flies to the International Space Station.
SpaceX Crew-2 Mission Launches From Cape Canaveral
ShareSpaceX launched the An international crew of four astronauts in a Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station.
SpaceX Crew-2 Mission Launches From Cape Canaveral
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SpaceX Crew-2 Mission Launches From Cape Canaveral
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SpaceX Crew-2 Crew Arrival
ShareFrom left to right, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, react to comments after arriving at the Launch and Landing Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center ahead of SpaceXs Crew-2 mission, on April 16, 2021, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-2 mission is the second operational mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. Kimbrough, McArthur, Pesquet, and Hoshide are scheduled to launch at 6:11 a.m. ET on Thursday, April 22, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.
SpaceX Crew-2 Mission Launches From Cape Canaveral
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SpaceX Crew-2 Mission Launches From Cape Canaveral
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SpaceX Crew-2 Crew Walkout
ShareNASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough (L) and Megan McArthur (R) wave as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A to board the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft with crew mates ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide for the SpaceX Crew-2 mission at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on April 23, 2021, in Cape Canaveral.
SpaceX Crew-2 Rollout
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SpaceX Crew-2 Preflight
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SpaceX Crew-2 Launch
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SpaceX Crew-2 Mission Launches From Cape Canaveral
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SpaceX Crew-2 Crew Walkout
ShareCAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - APRIL 23: In this handout image provided by NASA, (L-R) ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A to board the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for the SpaceX Crew-2 mission at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on April 23, 2021, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. This is the second crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide are scheduled to launch at 5:49 a.m. EDT. (Photo by
SpaceX Crew-2 Launch
ShareCAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - APRIL 23: In this handout provided by NASA, Acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk watches the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the balcony of Operations Support Building II carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft on NASAs SpaceX Crew-2 mission with NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide onboard on April 23, 2021 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA's SpaceX Crew-2 mission is the second crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Program. Kimbrough, McArthur, Pesquet, and Hoshide launched at 5:49 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center to begin a six month mission onboard the orbital outpost. (Photo by Aubrey Gemignani/NASA via Getty Images)
SpaceX Crew-2 Mission Launches From Cape Canaveral
ShareCAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - APRIL 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket leaves a contrail as it flies to the International Space Station after blasting off from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 23, 2021 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 rocket with an international crew of four astronauts in a Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Elon Musk Awarded With Axel Springer Award In Berlin
ShareBERLIN, GERMANY DECEMBER 01: SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk poses next to Axel Springer CEO Mathias Doepfner on the red carpet of the Axel Springer Award 2020 on December 01, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Britta Pedersen-Pool/Getty Images)
SpaceX Crew-2 Mission Launches From Cape Canaveral
ShareCAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - APRIL 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 23, 2021 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 rocket with an international crew of four astronauts in a Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
SpaceX Crew-2 Rollout
ShareCAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - APRIL 16: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen as it is rolled to Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-2 mission, on April 16, 2021 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA's SpaceX Crew-2 mission is the second crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide are scheduled to launch at 6:11 a.m. ET on Thursday, April 22, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. (Photo by Aubrey Gemignani/NASA via Getty Images)