Dazzling ‘Space Jellyfish’ illuminates the pre-dawn skies following SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of next batch Starlink satellites at 5:52 a.m. ET on March 4, 2026 from pad 40 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, on Starlink 10-40 mission. Photo credit: Ken Kremer/Space UpClose.com. Screenshot from WESH 2 NBC News Orlando – Credit: Ken Kremer/Spaceupclose.com
TITUSVILLE, FL – Early risers lucky enough to gaze skyward witnessed a dazzling ‘Space Jellyfish’ illuminating the pre-dawn skies with stunning pastel colors following a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of another batch of Starlink satellites from Florida’s Space Coast.
Following liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 at 5:52 a.m. ET on March 4, on the Starlink 10-40 mission carrying another 29 broadband internet Starlink satellites from pad 40 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL – a spectacular space jellyfish feature formed from the rockets exhaust plumes soon after liftoff – and grew in size and intensity over the new few minutes.
Dazzling ‘Space Jellyfish’ illuminates the pre-dawn skies following SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of next batch Starlink satellites at 5:52 a.m. ET on March 4, 2026 from pad 40 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, on Starlink 10-40 mission. Credit: Ken Kremer/Spaceupclose.com
My ‘Space Jellyfish’ photos were featured on WESH 2 NBC News Orlando along with my interview comments explaining all about the spectacular SpaceX space jellyfish formed this morning Mar 4 also featuring several my photos. Also how to see a space jelly fish and why they appear!!
Dazzling ‘Space Jellyfish’ illuminates the pre-dawn skies following SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of next batch Starlink satellites at 5:52 a.m. ET on March 4, 2026 from pad 40 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, on Starlink 10-40 mission. Photo credit: Ken Kremer/Space UpClose.com. Screenshot from WESH 2 NBC News Orlando – Credit: Ken Kremer/Spaceupclose.com
Watch my Space Jellyfish photos and comments featured here at WESH 2 NBC News Orlando
Dazzling ‘Space Jellyfish’ illuminates the pre-dawn skies following SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of next batch Starlink satellites at 5:52 a.m. ET on March 4, 2026 from pad 40 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, on Starlink 10-40 mission. Credit: Ken Kremer/Spaceupclose.com
The Falcon 9 rocket flew on a northeasterly trajectory up the US East Cost into virtually clear skies
A space jellyfish forms when a rocket launches roughly within a hour of sunrise or sunset and sunlight lights up the exhaust high in the sky as it soars into daylight in the upper atmosphere.
The exhaust particles and water vapor crystallizes in the cold. The ice particles are illuminated and they reflect the sunlight that we see
I could easily see the growing space jellyfish and separation of the Falcon 9 first and second stages
Many folks all around central Florida, the Space Coast and far beyond enjoyed the views and posted pictures online.
This marked the 25th flight of the Falcon 9 1st stage booster tail number B1080.25
Dazzling ‘Space Jellyfish’ illuminates the pre-dawn skies following SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of next batch Starlink satellites at 5:52 a.m. ET on March 4, 2026 from pad 40 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, on Starlink 10-40 mission. Credit: Ken Kremer/Spaceupclose.com
Eight minutes after liftoff the 1st stage touched down successfully on the ASOG droneship prepositioned of the coast of South Carolina
The Starlink 10-40 mission included the 600th Starlink satellite launched this year to LEO
Dazzling ‘Space Jellyfish’ illuminates the pre-dawn skies following SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of next batch Starlink satellites at 5:52 a.m. ET on March 4, 2026 from pad 40 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, on Starlink 10-40 mission. Photo credit: Ken Kremer/Space UpClose.com. Screenshot from WESH 2 NBC News Orlando – Credit: Ken Kremer/Spaceupclose.comDazzling ‘Space Jellyfish’ illuminates the pre-dawn skies following SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of next batch Starlink satellites at 5:52 a.m. ET on March 4, 2026 from pad 40 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, on Starlink 10-40 mission. Photo credit: Ken Kremer/Space UpClose.com. Screenshot from WESH 2 NBC News Orlando – Credit: Ken Kremer/Spaceupclose.comKen Kremer of Space UpClose explains to WESH 2 NBC News Orlando how the space jellyfish feature forms after SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on March 4, 2026 – at 5:52 a.m. ET on March 4, 2026 from pad 40 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, on the Starlink 10-40 mission. Screenshot credit: Ken Kremer/Spaceupclose.com
Ken Kremer of Space UpClose explains to WESH 2 NBC News Orlando how the space jellyfish feature forms after SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on March 4, 2026 – at 5:52 a.m. ET on March 4, 2026 from pad 40 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, on the Starlink 10-40 mission. Screenshot credit: Ken Kremer/Spaceupclose.com
Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and more space and mission reports direct from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news. Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics. Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – At a news conference at the Kennedy Space Center press site held on February 27, 2026, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced sweeping changes to Project Artemis – increasing the flight cadence for the SLS and Orion moon rocket by adding another test flight to improve resiliency and reliability, as well as changing the goals of
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – At a news conference at the Kennedy Space Center press site held on Feb. 27, new NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced sweeping changes to Project Artemis – increasing the flight cadence for the SLS and Orion moon rocket by adding more test flights to improve resiliency and reliability as well as changing the mission goals.
