A strange curved streak captured during SpaceX’s Starship Flight 14 livestream has fueled online UFO speculation, although several conventional explanations have been offered for the unusual object.

The object appeared roughly six minutes into the livestream as Starship traveled over Texas and deployed 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites. Viewers quickly noticed the glowing streak in the background, prompting speculation that the launch had captured something unidentified.

One explanation is that the streak was created by the Super Heavy booster after separating from Starship. The booster performed a flip and fired its engines as it began its return maneuver, while its exhaust trail may have risen into sunlight from behind Earth and become visible from the spacecraft’s perspective.

Propellants released at high altitude can also produce unusual illuminated formations. As the material expands through the upper atmosphere, it can catch sunlight and create a glowing shape sometimes described as a “space jellyfish.”

Other possible explanations include ice or frozen propellant breaking away from the spacecraft. Highly reflective material can appear unusually bright against a dark sky, while particles or other debris in the upper atmosphere can also reflect sunlight and create streaks or glowing patches on camera.

Despite those possible explanations, some viewers argued that the object’s continuous arc and illuminated points appeared inconsistent with ordinary rocket exhaust. Some social media users went further, suggesting it could be an extraterrestrial craft or even a “watcher drone” sent by an advanced civilization to observe humanity.

The speculation later expanded to include a possible military explanation. Some users compared the shape of the object to the purported TR-3B Black Manta, a rumored secret reconnaissance aircraft whose existence has not been publicly established.

Neither SpaceX nor NASA has issued an official explanation for the object. Elon Musk has previously said that despite SpaceX’s extensive satellite operations, he has not encountered credible evidence of extraterrestrial life.

For now, the footage has produced multiple theories, ranging from rocket-related phenomena and atmospheric effects to more speculative claims about extraterrestrial or secret military technology. No evidence presented from the livestream has established that the object was an alien spacecraft.