- A SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on Monday, October 19 at 6:30 a.m. ET could produce a rare “jellyfish effect” over Florida, though weather odds stand at just 55%.
- Elon Musk reacted to Anthropic’s new Public Benefit Fund by recommending the company give shares directly to the public, stating he will do the same with his own stake.
- SpaceX has flown only four missions since Aug. 30 due to Starship tower construction, making the jellyfish phenomenon an increasingly uncommon sight.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to lift off from Cape Canaveral at 6:30 a.m. ET on Monday, October 19, potentially creating a vivid “jellyfish effect” across Florida’s predawn sky as exhaust catches sunlight in the upper atmosphere. However, Space Launch Delta 45’s weather squadron gives only a 55% chance of favorable conditions, with a cold front stalled over South Florida bringing liftoff winds and cumulus clouds that could violate launch rules.
A delay to Tuesday would keep the same 6:30 a.m. window, and the odds jump to 85%, giving the spectacle another fair shot. This October 2026 mission would be the 60th launch from the Space Coast this year, with SpaceX flying all but seven of them, yet the company has launched only four times since Aug. 30 as it builds up its Starship tower at Kennedy Space Center. That marks a sharp drop from 2025’s record 109 launches, making the jellyfish effect a rare treat for onlookers.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk ignited a separate debate on Sunday after Anthropic, the developer of Claude AI, announced it will place 5% of its shares into the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund. Anthropic stated the fund could back nonprofits, make direct payments to specific groups, and address AI’s impact on workers, adding: “Given the pace of AI progress, bolder approaches may be needed. The Fund will have the versatility to pursue them.”
Musk, who also leads rival AI company xAI, responded on X: “I recommend giving the shares directly to the public.” In a follow-up post, he added: “This is what I will be doing.” He did not explain how or when the plan would work, and at the time of writing, SPCX was down 1.74%. With co-founders already pledging to donate 80% of their equity, roughly 20% of Anthropic’s shares would go to public purposes ahead of a possible IPO, though its prospectus warned that shifting US AI policies and export controls could hurt revenue.
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