SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully put a navigation satellite into orbit, and upon completion of its mission, the rocket left a glowing vortex in the Hawaiian sky.

A blue swirl appeared in the Hawaiian sky on January 18.
A blue swirl appeared in the Hawaiian sky on January 18. (Photo: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan)
SpaceX launches global positioning satellite (GPS) into space for the US Space Force at 7:24 p.m. on January 18, Hanoi time. Shortly after, the Subaru Telescope discovered a strange vortex in the sky. “The vortex appears to be linked to SpaceX’s new satellite launch activities”, shared the authority that manages the Subaru Telescope at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. They also released a photo of the vortex above a telescope atop Mauna Kae mountain on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Scientist and satellite tracking expert Scott Tilley said the location of the vortex is close to where the Falcon 9 rocket’s second stage will fly past minutes after launch. Meanwhile, the first stage landed on Earth aboard an unmanned ship at sea.
This is not the first time that a bright vortex has been discovered after the launch of a SpaceX rocket. In many places, such as New Zealand, residents saw a similar vortex after the Falcon 9 rocket operated. In previous appearances, witnesses said the vortex formed when the upper stage of the Falcon 9 was releasing fuel. . According to the Spaceweather website. com, the upper stage of the rocket can rotate along the longest axis to stabilize the direction of flight, forming a vortex shape.
The famous Falcon 9 rocket creates many interesting shapes after launch, such as “space jellyfish” in the sky above the Florida coast. Such shapes appear when the gas in the nozzle of a rocket engine experiences higher pressure in the atmosphere and is illuminated by sunlight.according to Chris Combs, professor of aerodynamics and mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
SpaceX launched 5 missions to space in the first 19 days of 2023. If this pace is maintained, the company will launch a total of 96 rockets by the end of the year, but weather and technical factors may cause launch delays. In 2022, SpaceX set a record of 61 launches, almost double that of 2021 with 31 launches.
Article source: VnExpress
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SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully put the navigation satellite into orbit and, once its mission was completed, the rocket left behind a luminous vortex…