Rocket Launch Seen From JPSS Day-Night Band

satellite imagery of rocket launch from JPSS Day-night Band

During the early morning hours of April 21st, 2026, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 02:53 EDT (06:53 UTC). NOAA-20 was orbiting over the Eastern US right at that time, and managed to capture the bright plume of the rocket launching through the atmosphere using the Day-Night Band.

The imagery can be viewed here on the CIRA Satellite Library:

https://satlib.cira.colostate.edu/weather_media/rocket-launch-at-night-seen-from-jpss-satellites/

The imagery was also shared on the CIRA social media accounts, generating 164 likes and over 8,000 views

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Posted on: April 24, 2026

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