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Credit & Copyright: John Kraus
Explanation:
Short star trails appear in this single 84 second long exposure,
taken on March 6 from a rotating planet.
The remarkable scene also captures the flight of
a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo spacecraft
over Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
shortly after launch, on a
resupply
mission bound for the International Space Station.
Beginning its return to a landing zone about 9 kilometers from the
launch site, the Falcon 9 first stage boostback burn arcs
toward the top of the frame.
The second stage continues toward low Earth orbit though,
its own fiery arc traced below the first stage boostback burn
from the camera's perspective,
along with expanding exhaust plumes from the two stages.
This Dragon spacecraft was a veteran of two previous resupply
missions.
Successfully returning to the landing zone, this Falcon 9 first stage
had flown before too.
Its
second landing marked the 50th landing of a SpaceX
orbital class rocket booster.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: rocket - launch
Publications with words: rocket - launch
See also: