An 84 second long exposure (from a revolving planet) capturing 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. To wit:
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.
(Image: John Kraus)
Very cool.
I love these posts, they’re my favourite thing on here
I agree! These, and the astronomy shots are incredible.
I remember as a really young kid seeing a book in my library that talked about space ships that took off like rockets and landed like planes. Then the Shuttle happened, and now we have pretty much reusable rockets.I love progress when it does clever stuff like this.
Me love ’em too! As a kid I visited a friends house and he had an astronomy book which showed the sun and earth in scale, mind was blown then and still is today by such matters. And yes, those SpaceX booster rockets that land safely and upright on a barge at sea after doing their job is an amazing sight.