NASA astronaut captures stunning photo from space that makes us feel very small
An astronaut who was on the International Space Station left the internet stunned with a photo that has us feeling tiny.
NASA crew member Don Pettit has shared his incredible perspective of a rocket test launch - all the way from space.
The image dates back to November 19 2024, when SpaceX launched its sixth Starship rocket from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas.
At the time, Pettit was onboard the International Space Station as part of Expedition 72.
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Over the course of the mission, the crew spent more than 1,000 hours conducting scientific research - including metal 3D printing, stem cell studies, wooden satellite preparation and microgravity plant growth experiments.
Of course, one major plus of living 408 kilometers (around 250 miles) from Earth is a whole new perspective on our tiny blue dot.
Not only are astronauts at a truly unique vantage point, but they're orbiting our planet 16 times in 24 hours, allowing them to capture some mind-bending sights. And thanks to the power of social media, they're able to share those rare experiences with us.
When SpaceX CEO Elon Musk oversaw the launch of Starship's sixth test run in November, he was joined by hundreds of onlookers - including President Donald Trump. And while they had a great view from the ground, Petitt had the ultimate front-row seat to the action from up above.
The launch lasted a little more than an hour and five minutes, and saw and Starship's Super Heavy booster splash down in the Gulf of Mexico, while its upper stage, Ship 31, successfully reignited its engine in orbit before making a controlled re-entry and splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
It was the first time a Raptor engine was restarted in orbit - a key step toward reusability and future deep-space missions.
As it happens, the ISS' position aligned perfectly with the launch, allowing Pettit to capture the incredible photo.
When you consider the factors required for all this to happen, it's remarkable; the ISS needs to fly directly over the launch site right when liftoff happens, the weather conditions and lighting need to be just right and the astronaut must be ready and waiting with a camera.
Posting to R/Space over on Reddit on August 30, Pettit shared the photo of the launch from space and wrote: "My best photo of the SpaceX Starship Flight 6 launch, taken during Expedition 72 to the ISS.
"Our orbit was very fortunate to have a brief visual overlap with Starbase shortly after launch, allowing me to photograph this remaining exhaust trail and the surrounding region."
The image captures the exhaust plume of SpaceX’s Starship rising from over the Gulf of Mexico, contrasting against the sprawling land and ocean beneath.
"Amazing photo and thank you for doing what you do!" one Reddit user replied as a second wrote: "That shot is absolutely incredible. You captured history."
Starship successfully completed its tenth flight test on August 26, bringing SpaceX closer to using their rockets for NASA’s Artemis Moon landings and, eventually, for long-duration missions to Mars and beyond.
Topics: Space, NASA, Space X, Social Media, International Space Station, Reddit
Ellie Kemp