Copy and past if link doesn't form
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Unknown/McDonnell-Douglas-MD-11/0613921/L/
You also have to understand that this MD-11 was being imaged when it was producing a persistent contrail. The stabilized helo camera was detecting this MD-11 at extreme range. At no point could the optics zoom in close to this aircraft. It was always at extreme range. At that point the MD-11 was still up at 39,000 feet.
that proves my point, too!
look how far away the contrail is and how it is fading
now look at the missile shot
SPEED is why the contrail is NOT breaking apart that close to the main object, that rocket was going fast and the contrail had no time to disperse over the distance and the effects of winds aloft