NASA / Don Pettit
NASA astronaut Don Pettit, currently living aboard the International Space Station (ISS), seems to have a knack for timing. During SpaceX’s sixth test launch of its colossal Starship rocket from Boca Chica, Texas, on Tuesday, the ISS was passing overhead at an altitude of approximately 250 miles. This fortunate alignment allowed Pettit, an avid photographer, to snap a stunning image of the rocket’s launch.
Pettit later shared this moment with his followers on X, exclaiming, “We happened to be overhead!”
Starship launch from @ISS. We happened to be overhead! pic.twitter.com/SLRlLoRriv
— Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) November 21, 2024
Pettit’s photo showcases the trail created by the Super Heavy’s 33 Raptor engines as they propelled the spacecraft into orbit, leaving a shadow that stretched across the Gulf of Mexico’s waters.
The ISS travels at about 17,500 miles per hour (28,000 kilometers per hour) and completes roughly 16 orbits around Earth every day. Thus, the crew was incredibly fortunate to witness such an exciting event as it unfolded below them on that Tuesday.
Earlier in September, Pettit and his fellow crew members aboard the ISS were also treated to a view of SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn Crew Dragon capsule as it returned to Earth with four astronauts after a groundbreaking mission. Pettit captured an impressive image that illustrated the streak of light generated by the descending capsule.
This talented astronaut recently shared surreal images that depict Earth in extraordinary ways, presenting landscapes that resemble artistic works rather than real places.
As Pettit continues his six-month mission aboard the ISS, viewers can anticipate a wealth of remarkable photography from this accomplished American astronaut.