Mystery missile contrail stumps Pentagon

[Stan]

Hey Adam,

Declaring a problem solved without providing an answer is a Pentagon trick.

Yep, had 23 years of practice doing the dance

Video of object's contrail starts about about 0.28 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AMdHBgHtNE

Oh yeah, definitely a Southwest Air commuter... if it has two wings shorn off and is defying gravity. 'Zippy' is a good description, don't you think?

Thanks for the video. I gotta tell ya the Russian rocket scientist with the "ballistic missile launched from a sub" was a real nice touch

This is good too !

All DoD entities with rocket and missile programs reported no launches scheduled or inadvertent, during the time period in the area of the reported contrail...

Regards, Stan

[AdamG]

KZLA LOS ANGELES A2832/10 - THE FOLLOWING RESTRICTIONS ARE REQUIRED DUE TO NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER WEAPONS DIVISION ACTIVATION OF W537. IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, ALL NON-PARTICIPATING PILOTS ARE ADVISED TO AVOID W537. IFR TRAFFIC UNDER ATC JURISDICTION SHOULD ANTICIPATE CLEARANCE AROUND W537 AND CAE 1176. CAE 1155 WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR OCEANIC TRANSITION. CAE 1316 & CAE 1318 WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR OCEANIC TRANSITION. CAE 1177 WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR OCEANIC TRANSITION. W537 ACTIVE, CAE 1176 CLOSED. SURFACE - FL390, 09 NOV 20:00 2010 UNTIL 10 NOV 01:00 2010. CREATED: 08 NOV 20:52 2010

NOTAM was supposed to start three hours after the plume was seen (reported as @ 17.00 Pacific).

Marc Ambinder, who is an encyclopedia of how the government works, thinks it could be a a spy satellite. He tweets: When launching spy satellites, opsec = timing of launch... post-launch cover story can be weak.
So, basically, it could have been an impromptu satellite launch.

http://www.businessinsider.com/was-t...#ixzz14tGttNAf

[CloseDanger]

NOTAM was supposed to start three hours after the plume was seen (reported as @ 17.00 Pacific).

Not if, as I suspect, they use Zulu (UTC) time.

[AdamG]

But Doug Richardson, the editor of Jane’s Missiles and Rockets, examined the video for the Times of London and said he was left with little doubt.

"It’s a solid propellant missile," he told the Times. "You can tell from the efflux [smoke]."

Richardson said it could have been a ballistic missile launched from a submarine or an interceptor, the defensive anti-missile weapon used by Navy surface ships.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/...n7040379.shtml

[slapout9]

If it was an intentional launch of a missile.....then why was it done? What is the message and who is it for?

[Tom Odom]

it could have been an impromptu satellite launch.

Is this the missile equivalent of stand-up comedy?

Who launches satellites on an impromptu basis?

Serge, the Rodeo Drive Designer Rocketman?

"oooh you look like a big payload guy with lots of thrust..."

[CloseDanger]

Just to let the international community know we are still alive and kicking over here. (Pacific Coherence)

[Entropy]

Serge, the Rodeo Drive Designer Rocketman?

"oooh you look like a big payload guy with lots of thrust..."

I think I just found next year's Halloween costume!