Photo Report: Missle Test or Aliens

[SharkTums]

I'm guessing it's some rocket test that went horribly wrong, but who knows!

[SharkTums]

Here's another one closeup...and yup, they just confirmed on the radio that it's "one of ours" from the Vandenburg AFB.

[DeliriumTrigger]

I'm down in san diego, just saw it as well and took a couple pics...

[Kroger8]

DUDE, so what is it? A rocket? Thats so awesome, I wish crazy crap like that would happen here!!!

[Erik Johnson]

Well thats freaky, Im glad it did not hit anything on the ground.

[Wes]

^ They do this every once in awhile, it's a planned thing. Not a big deal.

 

EDIT: See.

 

http://www.space.com/missionlaunche...aur_launch.html

 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2005

 

When the sun goes down at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base tonight, an obscure little satellite will blast off to begin its year-long mission for the U.S. military's research and development agency.

 

The Space Test Program-R1 project's Streak satellite carries a classified price tag and limited details about its underlying purpose. But the launch should be widely visible throughout central and southern California, perhaps as far inland as Arizona and Nevada, if weather conditions permit, when the Minotaur rocket roars into space to deploy its cargo.

 

Liftoff from the Space Launch Complex 8 pad located on Vandenberg's southern edge will occur during a window extending from 7:24 to 7:40 p.m. PDT (10:24-10:40 p.m. EDT; 0224-0240 GMT). The period opens nearly a half-hour after sunset.

 

Ascending skyward along a southerly trajectory over the Pacific, the slender white rocket has the potential to produce a spectacular "twilight phenomenon" display of green, blue, white and rose colors in expanding, twisting clouds. The cause: unburned fuel particles and water drops in the rocket's contrail freeze in the less dense upper atmosphere and get reflected by sunlight at high altitudes during launches timed just before sunrise or shortly after sunset.

 

The Orbital Sciences-managed Minotaur rocket is formed by using decommissioned first and second stages from a Minuteman 2 ICBM missile and solid-propellant motors from the commercial Pegasus rocket program for its third and fourth stages. The vehicle is designed to provide the U.S. government with reliable access to space for small satellites.

 

This will be the second Minotaur launch of the year and fourth since 2000. All have been successful so far.

 

Air Force launch officials say it will take about nine minutes for the Minotaur to haul the STP-R1 mission to the desired orbit tonight. The satellite, dubbed Streak by its operator, will test technologies for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

 

"Streak is a technology demonstrator whose objective is to demonstrate rapid response, short mission life, low Earth orbit space technologies and gather information about the low Earth orbit environment," a DARPA spokesperson said.

 

Information released by DARPA indicates Streak is fitted with two instruments -- an ion gauge and an atomic oxygen sensor.

 

"The vehicle will characterize the orbital regime, demonstrate operational feasibility from a command and control standpoint and also from a platform perspective for future DoD missions," the spokesperson added.

 

General Dynamics C4 Systems/Spectrum Astro Space Systems built the craft in Gilbert, Arizona.

 

DARPA is the Defense Department organization whose mission is "to maintain the technological superiority of the U.S. military and prevent technological surprise from harming our national security by sponsoring revolutionary, high-payoff research that bridges the gap between fundamental discoveries and their military use."

 

Tonight's weather forecast predicts an 80 percent chance of acceptable conditions for launch. Thick clouds are the only concern for violating the launch rules.

 

"A weak high pressure ridge moves east Thursday afternoon, while a shallow marine layer comes ashore. An upper level trough drops into the area with altocumulus and thick cirrus over Vandenberg, while low ceilings and dense fog obscure visibility," the launch weather officer reported Wednesday.

 

The "marine layer" of low stratus clouds will cover the entire sky over the launch pad between 400 and 1,200 feet. Mid- and high-level clouds are expected at 15,000 and 23,000 feet. Forecasters also predict fog to reduce visibility to one mile, with a temperature between 64 and 69 degrees, ground winds of 13-to-18 knots from the northwest and maximum high-altitude winds of 44 knots near 40,000 feet.

 

Should the launch be delayed to Friday evening for some reason, the outlook calls for a 100 percent probability of acceptable liftoff conditions. But the viewing situation at Vandenberg is likely to remain foggy.

 

"An upper level low and associated trough moves into the Pacific northwest. The marine layer returns, thickening and lifting as the trough moves closer and destabilizes the atmosphere. Visibility improves to 3 miles. The gradient between the exiting ridge and this trough tightens with surface winds out of the northwest at 15 - 20 knots. Upper level winds remain northwesterly."

 

Watch this page for live updates during this evening's countdown and launch!

[robbalvey]

Yeah, it was pretty freaky looking as I saw the whole thing go from the freeway!

 

Of course, so did the million other stupid Californian's, most of which can't look at a rocket blasting off and driving at the same time, so traffic getting home tonight sucked!

 

--Robb

[DenDen]

When I lived in Vegas and in Lancaster, CA, we could see these test trails. Isn't there a Military base in Palmdale? (Where they used to service the space shuttles?)

[Nrthwnd]

Certainly different than Northern Lights here, lol. 8)

[Bubba Z]

^^ DenDen, I thought maybe you were messing around with your camera again.

[4718]

When I lived in Vegas and in Lancaster, CA, we could see these test trails. Isn't there a Military base in Palmdale? (Where they used to service the space shuttles?)

Yeah, there's Edwards AFB up there that they sometimes land the space shuttle at, like this last time when it went to space......the double sonic boom scared the crap outta me because I thought someone was pounding on the window.

 

But, more to the point, they shoot the missles off from Vandenburg AFB, which is further north, maybe around Sacramento....don't remember where exactly. The last one they shot off had a really cool cloud like that too, but even better because it was like a mini Aurora Borealis....pretty trippy.

[WalrusMan]

Yeah, they're just missile tests. They're very interesting to see, no harm in anything. You'd think that So. Cal would know about these already, you get a few of them a year I'd say.

[Token Yankee Guy]

weatherballoons! It's all a consipiracy!.

 

 

Craiggers " " K.

[robbalvey]

Yeah, they're just missile tests. They're very interesting to see, no harm in anything. You'd think that So. Cal would know about these already, you get a few of them a year I'd say.

We did know what is is. That's why the thread was called "missle test"

 

--Robb

[crispy]

Nope its aliens, I know it, they called me before hand, and mentioned they were going to fly over Robb and Elissa's house. they think you guys ROCK

[CoasterCrazy]

I think it would have been awesome to see the missle tests inperson!8)

 

Why doesn't cool stuff ever happen in Atlanta!

[nursemelis374]

We were at the LA County Fair last night and everyone stopped to look at it. It looked so cool! I wish it would have been aliens!

[FlyingScooter]

Those V2 powered satelites sure do make cool pictures in the sk!

With Trails like those in the picture, I wonder if the word ACME was on the side of the rocket?

[Space Freak]

Yeah, they're just missile tests. They're very interesting to see, no harm in anything. You'd think that So. Cal would know about these already, you get a few of them a year I'd say.

We did know what is is. That's why the thread was called "missle test"

 

--Robb

 

But it wasnt a missile test. The rocket that fired the satelite up to space wasnt a test, the satelite itself was the test. And that test doesnt take place until it reaches space. And the test was to look for aliens.

 

Oh, and this could happen on the atlantic also, but the launch would have to take place just before dawn, and most people are asleep at that point...

 

Rob "your resident rocket scientist" D

[SharkTums]

^I think you're missing the point...we were just being 'cutesy' with the title, and then Robb was trying to explain to that person that of course we knew it wasn't aliens!

[RtherBOnACoaster]

Yea, I saw that thing last night, and I'm in Carlsbad. I took pictures of it too, maybe if I feel like puting them on my computer, I will put them on.

[DATman]

WHY DIDNT I LOOK OUTSIDE, WHY?

[ebl]

I didn't see this one, but being in Ventura County, it's a perfectly normal sight. They're kinda freaky, but cool at the same time.

 

Eric

[WalrusMan]

Yeah, they're just missile tests. They're very interesting to see, no harm in anything. You'd think that So. Cal would know about these already, you get a few of them a year I'd say.

We did know what is is. That's why the thread was called "missle test"

 

--Robb

 

Well, I meant all the other people stuck in traffic with you. Haha.

 

Always wanted to see one of these. Saw a space shuttle landing at Edwards, but that's it.