NYC residents spot ‘UFO’ in the sky, stirring alien rumors; Here’s what it really was

A mysterious orb of light seen over New York City early Tuesday morning has been identified as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Initially mistaken for a UFO, the rocket was observed soaring across the East Coast.

Launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:23 a.m. on September 10, 2024, the Falcon 9 is part of the Polaris Dawn mission. The mission includes NASA scientists and a civilian who will be the first non-astronaut to perform a spacewalk. Billionaire Jared Isaacman, who is on his second space trip, is also part of the crew.

The rocket, which appeared to be moving horizontally across the sky, caused confusion among New Yorkers who were unaware of the launch. One person commented, “That’s aliens dawg!” Another noted, “There are enough extraterrestrials in NYC, if you ask me.”


The Polaris Dawn crew will spend five days in space. They aim to reach an altitude of 870 miles, surpassing the record set during NASA’s Project Gemini in 1966. The ship will spend 10 hours at this height, then reduce its orbit to about 435 miles.

A spacewalk, considered risky, is scheduled for Thursday. The crew will use SpaceX’s newest spacewalking suits as the entire Dragon capsule will be depressurized, exposing them to space.

The rocket’s flight was visible across the East Coast, leading to various speculations before it was confirmed to be a SpaceX mission.