Viewers watching SpaceX's Starship livestream spotted a narrow, slightly curved streak of pale blue light with a brighter white tip about seven minutes 55 seconds into the test flight, sparking widespread UFO speculation online. Social posts described it as a "mothership" and "bigger than a city," while some users pointed to an earlier fuzzy blue-white patch seen around six minutes 35 seconds. An observer named Dean Scott suggested a prosaic explanation: a gas plume from the Super Heavy booster produced when engines shut down and then re-fired for the return burn, a feature that could appear to rise as Earth’s bright horizon shifted. Engineer Kyle Holl and others noted the sighting occurred close in time to an unexpected engine shutdown, feeding both technical theories and alien jokes; SpaceX and Elon Musk did not comment.
The livestream accompanied SpaceX’s first orbital attempt with the massive Starship launched from Texas around 8:46am ET. Although the vehicle reached orbit, one engine cut out during ascent and the craft later splashed down and erupted in a large fireball seconds after hitting the water. SpaceX spokesman Dan Huot acknowledged the splashdown, and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted congratulations on X, calling the launch "gorgeous" and emphasizing the mission's inspirational value. The flight marked a milestone after 13 earlier tests and will factor into preparations for a planned 2028 Artemis moon mission.
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Google has announced that Chromebook update support will end in 2034, breaking its previous promise of 10 years of updates for all devices. This change affects those who bought Chromebooks in recent years, raising concerns over corporate transparency and device longevity. (osnews.com)
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