SpaceX CRS 35 Launch Creates Glowing Jellyfish Effect

A predawn rocket launch gave observers across Florida's Bay Area an unusual sky display on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, when SpaceX sent its CRS-35 cargo mission toward the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The expanding exhaust plume caught sunlight at high altitude, creating a luminous formation commonly known as a space jellyfish.

According to WPBF, the Falcon 9 lifted off at 6:33 a.m. Eastern time, carrying the 35th mission in SpaceX's Commercial Resupply Services program. FOX 13 News reported that dozens of people across the Bay Area witnessed the glowing formation after the launch.

The visual effect results from a combination of rocket altitude, sunlight and darkness on the ground. Although observers below may still be experiencing predawn conditions, sunlight can reach the rocket's exhaust plume higher in the atmosphere, illuminating its expanding shape against the darker sky.

The phenomenon does not require a separate event or additional equipment. Its appearance depends on the relationship between launch timing, the rocket's trajectory and atmospheric conditions.

Neither NASA nor SpaceX specifically predicted that the CRS-35 mission would produce the display, according to FOX 13 News. Whether a space jellyfish becomes visible depends on the precise lighting conditions and weather during a launch, making the effect difficult to guarantee in advance.

NASA has documented similar atmospheric displays during earlier SpaceX launches. These formations have appeared when rocket flights coincide with sunrise or sunset, allowing sunlight to illuminate exhaust at elevations where the surrounding sky remains dark to ground-based observers.

The glowing plume is a temporary optical effect associated with rocket exhaust rather than a distinct object in space. Its visibility can vary across viewing locations because atmospheric conditions and the launch trajectory influence how much of the illuminated plume observers can see.

Beyond the visual display, CRS-35 is delivering cargo to the orbiting laboratory. According to WPBF, the Dragon spacecraft is expected to complete an approximately 52-hour journey before autonomously docking with the International Space Station on Thursday, October 15, at about 11 a.m. Eastern time.

Following separation of the rocket's stages, the Falcon 9 first-stage booster was scheduled to attempt a landing at Landing Zone 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The recovery attempt is part of the mission's planned launch operations, separate from the Dragon spacecraft's journey to the space station.