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Missile over Northern California?
Missile, or similar object, streamed across the evening sky over Northern California on Thursday September 19th, 2002
Missile, or similar object, streamed across the evening sky over Northern California on Thursday September 19th, 2002
At approximately 7:40 pm a supersonic object left its contrails upon the evening sky over northern California. 20 seconds into its appearance over the horizon it Appeared to reach upper atmosphere as the telltale contrail was left behind and only the immediate delta of gas remained trailing the object. 10 seconds more into its northerly trajectory, its exhaust trail changed again with a brief pulse in the cone of gas. 5 seconds later the object appeared to terminate with traces of objects flying out in all directions.
No unclassified launches seem to have been scheduled from air force bases in California (such as Vandenberg). NASA's launch schedule is also empty for September. No news from any mainstream news sources.
Searching for corroboration or explanation. Thanks for your help.
At approximately 7:40 pm a supersonic object left its contrails upon the evening sky over northern California. 20 seconds into its appearance over the horizon it Appeared to reach upper atmosphere as the telltale contrail was left behind and only the immediate delta of gas remained trailing the object. 10 seconds more into its northerly trajectory, its exhaust trail changed again with a brief pulse in the cone of gas. 5 seconds later the object appeared to terminate with traces of objects flying out in all directions.
No unclassified launches seem to have been scheduled from air force bases in California (such as Vandenberg). NASA's launch schedule is also empty for September. No news from any mainstream news sources.
Searching for corroboration or explanation. Thanks for your help.
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Vandenberg AFB press release states that it was a Minuteman III missile.
For more information:
http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/30sw/news/new...
More research yields answer. Observed object was indeed a missile:
According to a very informative website that tracks Vandenberg Air Force launches, a Minuteman III ICBM test launch was scheduled for September 19, 2002. This launch was expected at 18:00PDT with a 6 hour launch window, corresponding to the observed object. Apparently it was carrying "two unarmed warheads on a ballistic (non-orbital) trajectory to an impact area in the central Pacific"(Webb). Very useful information at the following two sites. Thanks to Brian Webb and Tom Chester for the useful information
Vandenberg launch schedule by Brian Webb
Discussion of Contrails from Missile/Satellite launches at Vandenberg by Tom Chester
According to a very informative website that tracks Vandenberg Air Force launches, a Minuteman III ICBM test launch was scheduled for September 19, 2002. This launch was expected at 18:00PDT with a 6 hour launch window, corresponding to the observed object. Apparently it was carrying "two unarmed warheads on a ballistic (non-orbital) trajectory to an impact area in the central Pacific"(Webb). Very useful information at the following two sites. Thanks to Brian Webb and Tom Chester for the useful information
Vandenberg launch schedule by Brian Webb
Discussion of Contrails from Missile/Satellite launches at Vandenberg by Tom Chester
Was it headed for Berkeley? I'd like to think so.
it was.....my detachable penis, detachable penis, detachable penis....
OH yeah, too funny.
well, my friend met some guy who had just seen it last night, over the santa cruz sky....
well, my friend met some guy who had just seen it last night, over the santa cruz sky....
that shit was kind of crazy
It was mad crazy. I've never seen anything like it. I'm currently hunting for pictures.
I was in LA (from seattle) @ the LA County Fair, and there it was. It had a multi colored trail... appearantly because of the setting sun. I've never seen anything remotely like it.
Yowsers!
I was in LA (from seattle) @ the LA County Fair, and there it was. It had a multi colored trail... appearantly because of the setting sun. I've never seen anything remotely like it.
Yowsers!
i saw it as well and found this article from the AP. it's still kind of scary though.
Air Force missile test provides spectacular light show over West Coast
Thursday, September 19, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(09-19) 22:20 PDT VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) --
An Air Force missile test Thursday provided a spectacular light show seen over California and much of the West, as far away as Utah and New Mexico.
The colorful contrail was seen soon after the unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile blasted off at 7:36 p.m. from an underground silo at the Vandenberg military base north of Santa Barbara.
"The smoke went up in spirals as the sun was setting and turned into an orange, amber color. It was like a flower going into bloom pretty quickly," said Simon Cox, who saw it from a restaurant terrace in Santa Barbara.
The missile traveled about 4,200 miles in about 30 minutes, striking a predetermined target at the Kwajalein Missile Range in the western chain of the Marshall Islands, the Air Force said.
Vandenberg spokeswoman Kelly Gabel said clear conditions were responsible for the spectacular light show.
"We do this two or three times a year, but because the weather was so perfect we decided to launch it early," Gabel said. As a result, people were still awake to see it, and although the sun had set, sunlight below the horizon glinted off unspent fuel particles and water droplets.
"Suddenly we're getting calls from people as far away as New Mexico who saw it and want to know what it is," Gabel said.
The mission was directed by the 576th Flight Test Squadron at Vandenberg and the 341th Space Wing and the 341st Space Wing, from Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.
The purpose was to test launch systems and the missile's accuracy and reliability.
Air Force missile test provides spectacular light show over West Coast
Thursday, September 19, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(09-19) 22:20 PDT VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) --
An Air Force missile test Thursday provided a spectacular light show seen over California and much of the West, as far away as Utah and New Mexico.
The colorful contrail was seen soon after the unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile blasted off at 7:36 p.m. from an underground silo at the Vandenberg military base north of Santa Barbara.
"The smoke went up in spirals as the sun was setting and turned into an orange, amber color. It was like a flower going into bloom pretty quickly," said Simon Cox, who saw it from a restaurant terrace in Santa Barbara.
The missile traveled about 4,200 miles in about 30 minutes, striking a predetermined target at the Kwajalein Missile Range in the western chain of the Marshall Islands, the Air Force said.
Vandenberg spokeswoman Kelly Gabel said clear conditions were responsible for the spectacular light show.
"We do this two or three times a year, but because the weather was so perfect we decided to launch it early," Gabel said. As a result, people were still awake to see it, and although the sun had set, sunlight below the horizon glinted off unspent fuel particles and water droplets.
"Suddenly we're getting calls from people as far away as New Mexico who saw it and want to know what it is," Gabel said.
The mission was directed by the 576th Flight Test Squadron at Vandenberg and the 341th Space Wing and the 341st Space Wing, from Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.
The purpose was to test launch systems and the missile's accuracy and reliability.
Yes, there was a launch at aprox. 7:40PM on the 19 Sep 02. Its purpose was for testing. Vandenberg does a couple different test lauches each year of Minuteman and Peacekeeper missles. For more info check out Vandenberg's homepage.
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