SpaceX reached a historic milestone on Monday after sending the world's most powerful rocket into orbit.
asserted
SpaceX → reach → orbit
But before Starship got there, viewers watching SpaceX’s livestream spotted something bizarre trailing behind the spacecraft in the darkness of space.
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viewers → get → space
About seven minutes and 55 seconds into the test flight, social media users zeroed in on a narrow, slightly curved streak of pale blue light with a brighter white tip.
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users → zero → tip
Many X users shared screenshots of the mysterious object, with one user saying it 'looks like a mothership' and 'bigger than a city.'
'I think we all just saw a UFO live-streamed,' one user shared.
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user → share → city
Another X user replied: 'I couldn't believe my eyes.
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I → reply → eyes
I'm glad it wasn't just me that saw it.'
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that → see → it
Others wondered whether the object was NASA's International Space Station, although the footage offers no way to judge its size or distance.
While many users were baffled, Dean Scott chimed in, suggesting the streak was gas left behind by the Super Heavy booster as its engines shut down after separation and fired again for the return burn.
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engines → wonder → burn
In his view, it appeared to rise because Earth’s bright horizon had initially hidden it.
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horizon → appear → it
A mysterious object was seen by users tuning into SpaceX's livestream of its Starship launch on Monday
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object → see → Monday
The object appeared as a narrow, slightly curved streak of pale blue light with a brighter white tip
One user replied to Scott: ‘I went back and saw the cloud before it “flattened.”
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it → appear → cloud
You're absolutely right, thank you!
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You → thank → you
’
The user appeared to be referring to an earlier frame, captured six minutes and 35 seconds after launch, that shows a small, fuzzy blue-white patch near Earth’s edge.
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that → appear → edge
But Scott’s explanation did little to quiet the alien theories.
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explanation → do → theories
‘The Greys are making sure all is ok,’ one X user commented, referring to the gray humanoid beings common in UFO lore.
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user → make → lore
Others tagged Elon Musk, with one asking: ‘Hey Elon, is this Mothership?’
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one → tag → Musk
Several users declared it was ‘definitely aliens.’
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it → declare → ?
Engineer Kyle Holl connected the sighting to another scare during the flight: the unexpected shutdown of one of Starship’s engines.
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Holl → connect → engines
‘Hmm, an engine out and then an alien battle cruiser uncloaks.
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cruiser → uncloak → ?
Interesting,’ Holl posted.
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Holl → post → ?
Neither SpaceX or Musk have commented online about the mysterious object seen in the livestream.
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SpaceX → comment → livestream
One user speculated that it was gas left behind by the Super Heavy booster as its engines shut down after separation, which others believe was seen about a minute prior (above, circled)
SpaceX launched its massive Starship rocket on Monday morning for its first orbital mission
The uncrewed Starship launched around 8.46am ET from SpaceX's Starbase complex along the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville, and was scheduled for a 10-hour mission around the Earth.
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Starship → speculate → Earth
However, SpaceX cut Starship’s flight short after an engine unexpectedly shut down during its climb to orbit.
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engine → cut → orbit
Footage showed the 40-story Starship flip into position for a gentle splashdown at 11.58am ET, only to erupt in a huge fireball seconds after hitting the water.
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Starship → show → water
SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot said during the livestream: 'Starship has landed.
'
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Starship → say → livestream
As you saw, not quite a soft splashdown as we had on the last one, but it's Starship in the water nonetheless.'
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it → see → water
While the SpaceX team did not confirm Starship had exploded, onshore cameras captured the booster exploding near the middle.
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booster → confirm → middle
Some have deemed the mission a 'complete failure,' but the goal was to send the massive rocket to orbit, and that is exactly what occurred on Monday.
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what → deem → Monday
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated SpaceX on the successful launch, saying on X: 'Gorgeous launch, getting Ship to orbit and managing every step in a safe, responsible, and especially inspirational way.
'
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Isaacman → congratulate → way
NASA, along with the rest of the interested public, is excited to help where we can and for Starship missions to become routine!'
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missions → help → public
Starship appeared to splash down as planned, but seconds later, a massive fireball erupted, sending pieces of the spacecraft flying.
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pieces → appear → spacecraft
While the ship made it to orbit, it exploded during splashdown
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it → make → splashdown
After 13 test flights that never reached orbit, SpaceX was attempting to send Starship around Earth for the first time and bring it safely back down.
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SpaceX → reach → it
Success would have strengthened confidence that a modified version can be ready for NASA's planned Artemis moon landing in 2028.
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version → strengthen → 2028
It was not immediately clear whether the engine trouble and fiery splashdown would affect SpaceX’s preparations for the planned 2028 moon landing.
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trouble → affect → landing
SpaceX ultimately wants Starship to flip upright and touch down in Texas, bringing crews home and allowing the spacecraft to fly again.
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spacecraft → want → crews
For now, its test flights end at sea, with no plans to recover the vehicle.
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flights → end → vehicle
The Aporia
