NASA releases SpaceX Crew-12 launch photo resembling cosmic nebula

NASA releases nebula-like Crew-12 launch photo

NASA has published a stunning image of the SpaceX Crew-12 launch that resembles a cosmic nebula. The photo was taken by photographer John Kraus at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on February 13.

It shows a view looking almost directly up into the rocket's exhaust plume. The plume was shaped and backlit by the rocket's nine Merlin engines.

How the "jellyfish" plume forms

SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets are known for creating dramatic "jellyfish" exhaust plumes when viewed from a distance. This occurs during early morning or late evening launches when the sun is low on the horizon.

The phenomenon is caused by the rocket's engines burning a mix of liquid oxygen and kerosene. The expelled gas, vapor, and soot expand rapidly into the upper atmosphere.

In this specific image, the exhaust formed complex patterns that NASA compared to a blooming flower or a nebula. The effect is reminiscent of the structures formed in the wake of a supernova explosion.

Crew-12 mission details and docking

The Crew-12 mission launched at 5:15 a.m. EST (1015 GMT) on February 13. It carried four astronauts to the International Space Station for an eight-month stay.

The crew aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft included:

• NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway
• European Space Agency astronaut Sochie Adenot
• Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev

The spacecraft successfully rendezvoused and docked with the ISS on February 14. This marked the start of the quartet's mission as part of Expedition 74.

Replenishing the space station crew

The arrival of Crew-12 returned the ISS to a full seven-person crew. Prior to their docking, the station had been operating with a reduced crew of three since early January.

This skeleton crew consisted of NASA's Chris Williams and cosmonauts Sergei Mikaev and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov. They had been alone since the medical evacuation of four Crew-11 astronauts on January 8 due to an undisclosed health issue.

The new crew's eight-month stay will involve hundreds of scientific experiments and maintenance operations. Their mission continues NASA's partnership with SpaceX for crew transportation to the orbiting laboratory.