Is it normal to see SpaceX rockets from Puerto Rico like Monday night?

The sky phenomenon seen over Puerto Rico last night was not caused by a UFO. In particular, this is a rocket, through which it is completely normal to go through the island.

A delay in the launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket allowed the island to view the bright flash the booster caused on its way to Earth orbit.

If it had started when it was planned, the vice president says the event most Puerto Ricans are talking about today would not have happened Caribbean Astronomical Society (SAC), Nelson Ortega.

Advertising

Continue to view more content

“This caused a stir yesterday. People were afraid, for all that. But the reality is that (the release) was scheduled at 2:33 pm and it got postponed. That’s why we didn’t announce anything because we didn’t feel the postponement, we’re working,” the astrophotographer said in a phone interview. New day.

The flash was hailed from 7:13 p.m. (Puerto Rico time), at which time the billionaire company Elon Musk Launched the rocket at its facility (Space Launch Complex 40) in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

“It was all because of the trajectory and the timing. The trajectory, obviously, because if they launch it toward East Florida, it goes here. In terms of timing, if the launch happens when the sun goes down, you can appreciate it because the sunlight is going down,” Ortega explained.We remind people that all these rockets orbit the Earth before heading to their destination. They do it on purpose. The timing was perfect as the sun was setting and it brightened them up”.

The flash effect, Ortega highlighted, occurs after the condensation of cold air in the upper atmosphere due to the heat emitted by the rocket’s burning fuel. Condensed particles receive sunlight and create a contrasting effect.

“It is normal to see these rockets from the island. There was another one a few months ago (a similar flash to yesterday’s rocket), but it was a bit horizontal. But still It all depends on the trajectory and timing (when the rockets are launched).”, the fan pointed out.

A Falcon 9 rocket seen on the island yesterday carried 21 Starlink satellites into orbit, the SpaceX mission that seeks to cover Earth with satellite internet.

And yesterday’s flight was the third to complete a Falcon 9 rocket, the company said. Falcon 9 rockets are designed to be launched and then reused on future missions.

The rocket is 229.6 feet tall and weighs about 1,207,920 pounds.