Mystery missile caught on video off L.A. coast

[junkheap]

Mystery Missile Launched Off California Coast

A missile launch was spotted off the coast of California. The Navy and Air Force say it wasn't theirs.

Here's link to the story with accompanying video:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/11/ ... 6716.shtml

I hope it actually turns out to be one of ours, since any alternative would be kind of scary.

 

[Boris_Badenov]

I fear we've been attacked.
Mystery missile caught on video off L.A. coast
LOS ANGELES — A mysterious 'missile' streaked across the sky off the Southern California coast Monday night and was caught on video by a local CBS News helicopter camera.

KCBS said the trail was visible from Los Angeles. The helicopter crew described the missile's location as 35 miles out to sea north of Catalina Island.

The U.S. Navy is the likely source, but Navy officials have been unable to determine who launched what, NBC News reported.

Senior Pentagon and Navy officials said they did not know who launched the missile. As one official said, "We're checking."

Meanwhile, a Navy spokesman told local CBS station KFMB that there was no Navy activity reported in that region Monday night, and that it was not the Navy's missile.

Pentagon and military officials told NBC they have not been able to find anyone in the Navy or Air Force who had any information — or who was willing to share information — about the event.

 

[mark_d_s]

Re: Mystery Missile Launched Off California Coast

I hope it actually turns out to be one of ours, since any alternative would be kind of scary.

If a foreign enemy launched a missile here off the coast of England, and it went in the wrong direction, I'd be rather amused! Probably made in China...

 

[bushwhacker]

Re: Mystery Missile Launched Off California Coast

I guess the next question would be did anyone track this thing to see where it was going?

 

[keeper96]

Pentagon and military officials told NBC they have not been able to find anyone in the Navy or Air Force who had any information — or who was willing to share information — about the event.

I know a couple of guys who work for the Army missile command who are TDY this week on the west coast for a missile test. it was probably them. They are at Point Mugu Air Station, the Naval Air Warfare Center. Probably why no one is willing to share any info. all the details surround the event would be classified.

 

[docm]

Point Mugu makes sense since Vandenberg is ~110 miles further NW.

 

[Archer17]

Re: Mystery Missile Launched Off California Coast

I guess the next question would be did anyone track this thing to see where it was going?

I did. Apparently Jim48 went too far by discussing Ronald Reagan's UFO sighting in another thread. Hey, I warned him many times about messing with the PTB but, did he listen? It was only a matter of time before something like this happened. My spotters where at the scene of the Fester residence moments after impact and, as you can see, Jimbo will not be posting any time soon.

I can only hope that as he rebuilds he takes this time to reflect on the error of his ways.

 

[docm]

NORAD and USNORTHCOM denie there is/was a danger, and a few minutes ago the Pentagon is saying it's "unexplained." For now Vandenberg and Point Mugu deny it was theirs, as does the missile defense crowd. Both the Navy and USAF disown it. None of the usual pre-test shipping warnings were issued.

UPDATE: USNORTHCOM now says it wasn't a foreign military launch, and there is no danger.

Foreign or other civilian?

 

[Couerl]

Re: Mystery Missile Launched Off California Coast

The navy is saying it's not ours and that's just flat out spooky. Who can park a missile boat 35 miles off the LA coast and launch a missile without a swarm of anti-sub aircraft present? Unreal... If I was living in LA I wouldn't be putting a lot of trust in my govt. to protect me from a first strike missile attack.

 

[FlatEarth]

Here's a link to a newscast that includes footage of the missile. It was a big one.



[Edit- This is the same link as in the original post]- MMW

 

[phaze]

Re: Mystery Missile Launched Off California Coast

Some kind of sub launch? N. Korea? Iran?

Seems like launching when it did would be a sure way to make the biggest visual impact.

I'd go with N. Korea.

*China, perhaps? They have a few reasons to be annoyed with us lately. Surprising move, if so.

 

[a_lost_packet_]

Re: Mystery Missile Launched Off California Coast

I'd go with N. Korea.

While KJI is a sub-happy crazyman, he's not that nuts. Also, while it's remotely possible DPRK might, just might, have a missile capable submarine, they wouldn't have it for very long if they actually used it in such a provocative manner...

*China, perhaps? They have a few reasons to be annoyed with us lately. Surprising move, if so.

Naw, they're too busy raking in cash and propping up their manufacturing/export sectors. Destabilizing the current political situation would not be in their best interests, especially with the whole World Bank meeting thingie going on. Though, dumber things have happened.

It's very, very likely it's ours.

 

[MeteorWayne]

There's a thread on this in The Unexplained...I will eventually merge them, just need to decide which forum is the better place.
MW

 

[keeper96]

There's a thread on this in The Unexplained...I will eventually merge them, just need to decide which forum is the better place.
MW

I vote here. The Unexplained is for woo woo conspiracy crappola. This event actually happened.

 

[Couerl]

Re: Mystery Missile Launched Off California Coast

It's very, very likely it's ours.

Wonder how ya figure that if it's just 35 miles off LA and the Navy is saying nope, not us.

 

[docm]

USNORTHCOM is supposed to make a statement ~5:00 PM ET, so here is probably best v. Unknown.

Swamp gas from a weather balloon trapped in a thermal pocket and reflecting the light from Venus?

 

[MeteorWayne]

OK, I have merged the threads, then moved it to The Unexplained but left a permanent bread crumb trail in Free Space.

 

[adrenalynn]

There's also a pretty goodly amateur space-race going on right now. We file proper flight plans and NOTAM, but not every group is as responsible. Not saying that's necessarily what it is, but just bear it in mind. We'll be launching further off the coast than that in international waters (very high power experimental rocketry is a PITA given regulations), but getting down as close to the equator as possible is super helpful.

 

[MeteorWayne]

That was one of my thoughts as well. Still, scary in it's own right. However if that is the case and they ignored FAA rules, they should expect an unpleasant visit from homeland security very shortly....

 

[lildreamer]

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id= ... atestRight

if you watch the video that was mentioned earlier in this thread - approx 1:06 there is a flying vehicle of sorts - can't tell if its a plane, copter or even blimp that looks pretty dam close to the flight path....

seems to even turn into the direction of the plume - therefore someone was close enough to see it go off....

 

[Couerl]

approx 1:06 there is a flying vehicle of sorts - can't tell if its a plane, copter or even blimp that looks pretty dam close to the flight path.......

Looks commercial, climbing and coming out of LAX I would guess.

 

[adrenalynn]

That was one of my thoughts as well. Still, scary in it's own right. However if that is the case and they ignored FAA rules, they should expect an unpleasant visit from homeland security very shortly....

The FAA is pretty ill-equiped for dealing with the explosion into space. One does their best to adhere to FAR, but a lot of what's going on just isn't covered, and when you try to contact the FAA you get ten different "stories" (opinions) from any single person that will actually talk to you, and just getting a return call is tough. Even their regional PR doesn't seem to want to stick their neck out and return emails and calls.

I just kinda figure enough paper trail combined with adhering to the maximum interpretation of FAR is about the best one can hope for.

Anything anywhere above FL600 reverts to restricted airspace which just complicates things. Up until recently, there wasn't much outside of the military, NASA, and NOAA that was breaking the FL600 mark. Suddenly everyone is pushing that back.

I would generally think it unlike the military to not file a NOTAM. See them all the time around their restricted airspace in the Channel Islands. If you call their PR or Controller it's generally "we're aware of it, thanks, click." At least then you know it's theirs...

That whole airspace from the Channel Islands to LAX is so flippin' busy, I'd never be irresponsible enough to even accidentally let go of a helium party balloon. And there's a ton of restricted government airspace down there that makes it hard to find a patch of desert even that's safe. We're anal about flying radar reflectors, strobes, and redundant cut-downs and fail-safes for rockets from our secondary launch site out in that desert for that very reason. That and notifying anyone that'll listen.

 

[docm]

I can just see some drunken/stoned idiot stacking some Level 3 stages and letting it fly off a dinghy or raft

 

[phaze]

I find it odd that nobody knows, yet. Or... if they do, they haven't told us. This does not look like a plane to me. However... as others have noted, planes taking off in the area should've had a good look at it - where it was coming from.

Obama cutting visit short to Indonesia.... ash.... right...

:ugeek:

 

[docm]

CNN is reporting that this is the story they're going with:

supposedly a jet was flying towards the coast and a perspective related optical illusion made it appear to be flying up. The sunset backlighting its contrail enhanced the effect.

Then again, there's always that swamp gas