[Strategerist]

http://planet4589.org/space/jsr/latest.html

Mystery missile launch? Or aircraft contrail?

---

Launches of NASA Black Brant IX rockets from San Nicolas Island in
California carrying MARTI targets for the Missile Defense Agency’s
Airborne Laser testbed have been removed from public NASA schedules. The
most recent such launch, which was publicly acknowledged, was on Oct 21.
The MDA has also launched Scud missiles as targets from the ocean off
Point Mugu.

Video of a contrail seen by an LA helicopter news crew on Nov 9 (Nov 8
Pacific time) not far from the San Nicolas/Pt Mugu area might be related
to these programs, but it’s been suggested by experienced observers that
it’s probably just be an aircraft contrail seen almost head-on and
illuminated by the setting sun. See
http://uncinus.wordpress.com/2010/11/09/4/ for another example.

[KC Burke]

Launches of NASA Black Brant IX rockets from San Nicolas Island in California carrying MARTI targets for the Missile Defense Agency’s Airborne Laser testbed have been removed from public NASA schedules. The most recent such launch, which was publicly acknowledged, was on Oct 21. The MDA has also launched Scud missiles as targets from the ocean off Point Mugu.

This bears repeating -- but they follow it up with a comment of probably Contrail?

[warsaw44]

I've never seen contrails like that and I grew up in an area where the sky was constantly filled with them. I'd lay down in our hay fields and watch the movements of planes for hours. You'd not really see much of the planes at all but you'd sure see contrails developing along the sky

But, I am no expert on contrails. I have yet to see the video ( I've looked on youtube ), only seen photos and in all of them the contrails are at about a 45 degree angle to the clouds. Plus there are some sharp and distinct angles to the trail which I have not seen before.

But what the hell do I know about missiles. I'm sure there are plenty of FR folks who know the science behind this.