| class="wikitable sortable" width="auto" |
| | Rocket launch
!class="unsortable"|
!| Payload
!| Date
!| Location
!class="unsortable"| Summary
!class="unsortable"| Notes
!class="unsortable"| References |
|---|
| Firefly Alpha flight FLTA005
|
|Eight CubeSats
|{{sort|2024-07-03|{{nowrap|3 July 2024}}}}
|Vandenberg Space Force Base
|
|
|[{{cite web |last1=Scully |first1=Janene |title=Firefly Aerospace's Alpha Rocket Launch Lights Up the Sky |url=https://www.noozhawk.com/firefly-aerospaces-alpha-rocket-launch-lights-up-the-sky/ |website=Noozhawk |access-date=5 July 2024 |date=3 July 2024}}] |
| Falcon 9 flight 361
|200px
|Starlink Group 9-1
|18 June 2024
|Vandenberg Space Force Base
|
|
| |
| Falcon 9 flight 339
|
|Starlink Group 6-63
|{{sort|2024-05-24|{{nowrap|24 May 2024}}}}
|Florida
|Night-time Starlink launch. Jellyfish caused by moonlight.
|
|[{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOQnbaqOkM8 |title=SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Starlink 6-63 |date=2024-05-23 |last=NASASpaceflight |access-date=2024-07-01 |via=YouTube}}] |
| Falcon 9 flight 338
|
|Starlink Group 6-62
|{{sort|2024-05-23|{{nowrap|23 May 2024}}}}
|Florida
|Night-time Starlink launch. Jellyfish caused by moonlight.
|
|[{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wblxfc6KN4 |title=SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Starlink 6-62 |date=2024-05-22 |last=NASASpaceflight |access-date=2024-07-01 |via=YouTube}}] |
| Falcon 9 flight 232
|200px
|Transporter 8
|{{sort|2023-06-12|{{nowrap|12 June 2023}}}}
|Vandenberg Space Force Base
|Afternoon launch – plume observed over Eastern Europe, approximately 75 minutes after launch
|
| |
| Test flight of an unidentified Indian missile
|
|None
|{{sort|2022-12-15|{{nowrap|15 December 2022}}}}
|India, Myanmar, Bangladesh
|An early evening test launch. Assumed to be of an Agni-V ICBM
|
|[{{Cite web |title=Is that a UFO? Or a meteor? Or India's nuclear missile Agni-V? |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/is-that-a-ufo-or-a-meteor-no-its-indias-nuclear-missile-agni-v-2309834-2022-12-16 |access-date=2022-12-20 |website=India Today |language=en}}] |
| | Falcon 9 flight 152 | 200px | Starlink Group 4–17 | {{sort|2022-05-06|{{nowrap|6 May 2022}}}} | Florida | An early-morning launch causing UFO reports | | [{{cite news |title= {{YouTube|xd_7t43WL78|SpaceX launch lights up the sky in an unbelievable way}} |author= News4JAX |publisher= WJXT4 |location= Jacksonville, Florida, USA |date= 6 May 2022 }} ] |
| |Falcon 9 flight 126 | 200x200px
|Inspiration4 | {{sort|2021-09-15|{{nowrap|15 September 2021}}}} | Florida | The first fully civilian crewed orbital spaceflight, launched from Cape Canaveral after sunset | | [{{Cite web|last=Lada|first=Brian|date=15 September 2021|title=SpaceX launch creates mesmerizing clouds over East Coast|url=https://www.accuweather.com/en/space-news/spacex-inspiration4-launch-florida-clouds/1018645|access-date=15 September 2021|website=AccuWeather}}] |
| |Soyuz-2.1.a launch | | Progress MS-17 | {{sort|2021-06-29|{{nowrap|29 June 2021}}}} | European Russia | A Soyuz-2.1a launched the Progress MS-17 to the International Space Station from Baikonur Site 31 on 29 June 2021. As the rocket reached the upper atmosphere the expanded rocket plume was illuminated by the sun creating a "jellyfish". | |[{{Cite web|title=Russian cargo ship sets off after the International Space Station in dramatic sky show|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russian-cargo-ship-launch-international-space-station-2021-06-29/|access-date=2021-06-30|website=www.cbsnews.com|language=en-US}}][{{Citation|title=Progress MS-17 launch|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je_6mdR06P0|language=en|access-date=2021-06-30}}] |
| | Falcon 9 flight 114 | 200px | {{nowrap|SpaceX Crew-2}} | {{sort|2021-04-23|{{nowrap|23 April 2021}}}} | Florida | A crewed Cape Canaveral launch in the pre-dawn. The "jellyfish" lasted over 10 minutes after liftoff. In addition to the "jellyfish" created by the second stage, the returning first stage also made visible plumes. | | [{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Amy |date=23 April 2021 |title=SpaceX launches 4 astronauts to space station, nails rocket landing |url=https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-2-astronaut-launch-rocket-landing-success |access-date=2021-04-23 |website=Space.com |language=en}}][{{Cite web |last1=Sangalang |first1=Jennifer |last2=Kelly |first2=Emre |name-list-style=and |date=2021-04-23 |title=NASA and SpaceX launch Crew-2 astronauts: Best tweets, photos from Twitter, Instagram |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2021/04/23/photos-nasa-spacex-launch-crew-2-kennedy-space-center/7348203002 |access-date=2021-04-23 |website=Florida Today |language=en-US}}][{{Cite web|last=Volz|first=Brianna|date=2021-04-23|title=What were those white flashes in the sky after SpaceX's Crew-2 launch? We explain|url=https://www.clickorlando.com/news/space-news/2021/04/23/after-successful-spacex-launch-rocket-booster-returns-to-light-up-floridas-sky/|access-date=2021-04-23|website=WKMG|language=en}}] |
| | Falcon 9 flight 62 | 200px | {{nowrap|SAOCOM 1A}} | {{sort|2018-10-08|{{nowrap|8 October 2018}}}} | California | A West Coast launch off California, in the post-dusk; causing UFO reports | | [{{cite news |url= https://www.inquisitr.com/5109706/stunning-photos-from-the-latest-spacex-rocket-launch-reveal-a-dazzling-plume-in-the-california-sky/ |title= Stunning Photos From The Latest SpaceX Rocket Launch Reveal A Dazzling Plume In The California Sky |last=Lozovschi |first=Alexandra |date= 10 October 2018 |publisher= The Inquisitor }} ][{{cite news |url= https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/10/spacex-falcon-9-saocom-1a-launch-west-coast-landing/ |title= SpaceX Falcon 9 launches with SAOCOM 1A and nails first West Coast landing |last=Graham |first=William |date= 7 October 2018 |publisher= NASASpaceflight.com }} ][{{cite news |url= https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/10/spacex-falcon-9-for-static-fire-saocom-1a-first-west-rtls/ |title= SpaceX conducts static fire test ahead of SAOCOM-1A mission, first west coast RTLS |last=Atkinson |first=Ian |date= 2 October 2018 |publisher= NASASpaceflight.com }} ] |
| | Falcon 9 flight 57 | 200px | {{nowrap|SpaceX CRS-15}} | {{sort|2018-06-29|{{nowrap|29 June 2018}}}} | Florida | An East Coast launch off Florida, in the pre-dawn | | [{{cite news |url=https://www.space.com/41040-jaw-dropping-spacex-dragon-launch-photos.html |title=See the 'Space Jellyfish' and Other Jaw-Dropping Views from SpaceX's Dragon Launch |last=Weitering |first=Hanneke |date=29 June 2018 |work=Space.com}}] |
| | Soyuz-2.1.b launch | | Glonass-M satellite | {{sort|2018-06-17|{{nowrap|17 June 2018}}}} | European Russia | A launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome heading over the cities of Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan, Russia | | [{{cite news |url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/975894/UFO-news-UFO-sightings-Russia-World-Cup-rocket-launch-satellite-programme-Kazan |title=Residents startled as {{sic|nolink=y|BIZZARE}} 'UFO' object lights up night sky near Russia World Cup city |last=Davis |first=Charlotte |date=22 June 2018 |publisher=The Express (UK)}}] |
| | Falcon 9 flight 46 | 200px | {{nowrap|SpaceX Iridium 4}}[Iridium-NEXT launch SpaceX-4] | {{sort|2017-12-22|{{nowrap|22 December 2017}}}} | California | A West Coast launch off California, in the post-dusk | | [{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/23/16814036/spacex-falcon-9-rocket-launch-los-angeles-celebrities-ufo |title=All the best reactions to SpaceX's Friday night rocket launch in California |last=Grush |first=Loren |date=23 December 2018 |website=The Verge}}] |
| | Atlas V 551 AV-056 flight | | MUOS-4[U.S. Navy Mobile User Objective System satellite] | {{sort|2015-09-02|{{nowrap|2 September 2015}}}} | Florida | A Cape Canaveral launch in the pre-dawn | | [{{cite web |url=http://www.iflscience.com/space/no-incredible-atlas-v-launch-was-not-ufo-please-stop-asking/ |title=No, That Incredible Atlas V Launch Was Not A UFO |last=O'Callaghan |first=Jonathan |date=4 September 2015 |publisher=IFL Science}}][{{cite web |last=Lambert |first=Maxime |date=21 July 2016 |title=La vidéo d'un étrange halo bleu relance le débat sur Internet |url=https://www.maxisciences.com/ovni/la-video-d-un-etrange-halo-bleu-relance-le-debat-sur-internet_art38407.html |access-date=16 September 2023 |publisher=Maxi Sciences |lang=fr}}] |
| | | | Meteor-M2 weather satellite | {{sort|2014-07-08|{{nowrap|8 July 2014}}}} | European Russia | A launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan | | [{{cite magazine |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25877-jellyfish-in-the-sky-was-a-high-flying-rocket-plume/ |title=Jellyfish in the sky was a high-flying rocket plume |last=Hitchings |first=Lauren |date=10 July 2014 |magazine=New Scientist}}] |
| | RS-12M Topol-M nuclear missile test launch | 200px
|{{n/a}} | {{sort|2013-10-10|{{nowrap|10 October 2013}}}} | Eurasia | Launched from Kapustin Yar, Russia; to crash into Sary Shagan, Kazakhstan | | [{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/science/ufo-astro-ghost-find-out-what-spooky-space-cloud-really-8C11390533 |title=UFO? Astro ghost? Find out what that spooky space cloud really was |last=Boyle |first=Alan |date=14 October 2013 |publisher=NBC News}}] |
| | | | Kosmos 1188 | {{sort|1980-06-14|{{nowrap|14 June 1980}}}} | European Russia | A launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome resulted in a giant U-shaped jellyfish appearing over Moscow and Kalinin, Russia | | [{{cite book |title=A World of UFOs |year=2008 |publisher=Dundurn |last=Rutkowski |first=Chris A. |isbn=978-1-77070-343-8 |page=99}}] |
| | | | Kosmos 955 | {{sort|1977-09-20|{{nowrap|20 September 1977}}}} | Northern Europe | A launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome resulted in a jellyfish vapour trail seen over northern Europe, causing the UFO incident known as the "Petrozavodsk phenomenon" | | [{{cite magazine |title=Close encounters of a fabricated kind |last=Oberg |first=James |pages=896–898 |date=31 December 1981 |volume=92 |number=1285 |journal=New Scientist}}] |
