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By Tom Howarth
Science Reporter (Nature)
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Cameras aboard the International Space Station (ISS) captured stunning images of Hurricane Milton as it races toward the Florida Peninsula. Taken at 9:37 a.m. EDT on October 8, these remarkable images showcase the massive storm traversing the Gulf of Mexico.
Hurricane Milton is expected to impact the densely populated region in the early hours of Thursday morning, bringing heavy rain, powerful winds and potentially devastating storm surges. In response, over a million residents have evacuated as final preparations to secure properties are underway.
The ISS orbits Earth every 90 minutes at a speed of approximately 17,500 miles per hour, providing its crew and onboard cameras with a unique perspective on storms as they develop over the ocean, fueled by the warm waters below.
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NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick shared a stunning timelapse of Hurricane Milton from aboard the International Space Station, posting the footage on X.
While Milton's effects will be severe at ground level, the storm is also making its presence felt far above Earth. Astronauts above the ISS have had to delay their return trip home due to the severe weather.
NASA and SpaceX had planned for the Crew-8 mission to depart the ISS on Monday morning and splash down off the coast of Florida. However, the undocking has been postponed several times due to Hurricane Milton, which reached Category 5 status on Monday, before downgrading to a Category 4 storm on Tuesday.
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"NASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than 3:05 a.m. EDT Sunday, Oct. 13, for the undocking of the Crew-8 mission from the International Space Station due to weather conditions and potential impacts from Hurricane Milton across the Florida Peninsula," NASA officials said on Monday.
"Mission managers continue to monitor conditions, with the next weather briefing planned for 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11."
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SpaceX was also hit by delays to the planned Europa Clipper mission thanks to Milton, which was scheduled for launch on Thursday. The NASA mission is a space probe designed to explore Jupiter's icy moon, Europa—a possible candidate for extraterrestrial life.
The launch of the Europa Clipper mission has been delayed indefinitely for now thanks to the storm.
"The safety of launch team personnel is our highest priority, and all precautions will be taken to protect the Europa Clipper spacecraft," Tim Dunn, senior launch director at NASA's Launch Services Program, said in a statement.
"Once we have the 'all-clear' followed by facility assessment and any recovery actions, we will determine the next launch opportunity for this NASA flagship mission."
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