Summary:
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying NASA scientists and a civilian astronaut, launched from the Kennedy Space Station.
The mission, Polaris Dawn, aims to break space exploration records by reaching an altitude of 870 miles.
The crew will conduct the first-ever private spacewalk, scheduled for Thursday.
The spacewalk involves depressurizing the Dragon capsule, exposing the crew to the vacuum of space.
Some New Yorkers mistook the rocket for a UFO, showcasing the public's fascination with space exploration.
SpaceX Rocket Sparks UFO Theories Over NYC
Early Tuesday morning, New Yorkers were treated to a peculiar sight in the pre-dawn sky: a glowing orb with a trailing plume of light, quickly sparking theories of an alien arrival. The object, however, was quickly identified as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launching from the Kennedy Space Station on a mission with a twist: the first private spacewalk.
The Polaris Dawn mission, carrying NASA scientists and a civilian astronaut, aims to break records by reaching an altitude of 870 miles, exceeding even the Earth-lapping record of NASA's Project Gemini. The crew, including billionaire Jared Isaacman, will spend five days in space, performing a spacewalk scheduled for Thursday. The spacewalk, a high-risk maneuver, will see the entire Dragon capsule depressurized, exposing the crew to the vacuum of space.
While the rocket's flight captivated the East Coast, some New Yorkers initially mistook the spectacle for something extraterrestrial.
"That's aliens dawg!" one observer commented on social media.
"There are enough extraterrestrials in NYC, if you ask me," wrote another.
This event highlights the growing fascination with space exploration and the potential for private ventures to push the boundaries of human experience.
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