SpaceX’s “Starship” completed its 14th test flight on September 28, successfully entering orbit around Earth for the first time. During the livestream of the event, a large mysterious light shadow in pale blue color unexpectedly appeared, sparking discussions among netizens. Some believe it was a UFO, while others speculate it could be gas formation from booster separation and re-entry ignition.
On Monday, September 28, SpaceX conducted the 14th test flight of the “Starship” at the “Starbase” in Texas, USA. The Starship successfully entered Earth’s orbit for the first time, deployed 26 new generation “Starlink” satellites, and then performed a controlled descent, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
Approximately 7 minutes and 55 seconds into the launch, a pale blue and elongated light shadow appeared on the livestream, accompanied by a brighter white dot at the front, catching the attention of viewers.
According to a report in the UK’s “Daily Mail,” the related footage quickly spread on the social platform X, with many netizens commenting that they “saw a UFO.” Some even described it as “larger than a city,” speculating it could be some kind of giant aircraft.
Some netizens believe the mysterious light shadow could be related to an extraterrestrial spacecraft, with one commenting that it “looks like a mothership” and directly asking SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, “Is this a mothership?”
Others explained that the light shadow is likely gas produced after the separation of the “Super Heavy” booster. After detachment from the Starship, the booster shuts off its engines and reignites for re-entry burn, generating gas that may appear unusually bright under sunlight. Initially obscured by the Earth’s edge, it appeared as if a massive object suddenly rose from below.
Currently, there is no evidence confirming that the mysterious light shadow in the livestream belongs to an extraterrestrial spacecraft.
As of now, neither SpaceX nor Musk has publicly explained the mysterious light shadow in the livestream.
This successful entry of the Starship into Earth’s orbit marks a significant technological breakthrough, including the deployment of real commercial payloads, followed by a successful return to the atmosphere and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.