SpaceX is targeting a SpaceX rocket launch jellyfish over Central Florida when the Bandwagon-5 mission lifts off from Cape Canaveral at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. The launch window lasts one hour, after Monday morning’s attempt was scrubbed because of unfavorable recovery weather conditions.
The flight will send a number of smaller satellites and re-entry vehicles into orbit on a rideshare mission. Those re-entry vehicles are meant to bring some, or all, of the satellites back to Earth later, making this more than a simple one-way delivery.
Cape Canaveral Tuesday window
The booster flying Tuesday is on its 19th flight. It has already supported SpaceX and NASA’s Crew-9 mission and 10 Starlink missions, and after stage separation it will try to land on A Shortfall of Gravitas.
A Shortfall of Gravitas will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean for the recovery attempt. If the mission does not launch Tuesday, SpaceX has a backup opportunity Wednesday.
Central Florida sky glow
The jellyfish effect appears when the sun is shining on the upper atmosphere while it is still dark outside. At that height, rocket exhaust expands and catches sunlight, forming a glowing, bulb-shaped cloud with wispy trails that can look like tentacles.
That is why people in Central Florida could see a launch that looks very different from a normal sunrise. About a week ago, spectators saw similar pictures, and Tuesday’s window gives them another chance before daylight fully takes over.
For anyone planning to watch, the practical detail is simple: the first opportunity begins at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday and runs for one hour. If the weather or other launch constraints force another delay, Wednesday is the fallback.
