MISSILE TRAIL PHOTO

self ^ | today | Demosthenes

[Demosthenes]

Here is the pic:

Okay, you got me....any ideas? Why did it not dissipate for ten minutes?

[William Tell]

I previously said: "Suddenly, it popped like a very distant, silent, soap bubble. "

I have read some of the descriptions of the missile which was launched. Evidently, this missile carries two re-entry vehicles that were targetted on Kwajalein in the Pacific.

Is anyone here knowledgeable enough to tell us when the re-entry vehicles leave the launch vehicle? Is it possible that we saw the self-destruction of the launch vehicle after the re-entry vehicles were already on their way?

Inquiring minds want to know...

[Walkingfeather]

Big smile....

[Demosthenes]

you know it.

[tagatose]

We got screwed! Look at that tail.
China's technology wasn't nearly as good as what Clinton gave them.

[Demosthenes]

My roomie is reading over my shoulder, and agreeing exactly to the letter, especially the part about the light "swelling" before it exploded...

[AdA$tra]

A few moments later.

[strela]

I don't know for sure why the cloud hung around as long as it did. Low high-level wind speed just seemed a logical reason to me. Somebody like Physicist could probably tell you for sure why it happened.

[nunya bidness]

I'll take your word. I'm on a dialup and fading fast.

[AdA$tra]

AP Wire: The two unarmed re-entry vehicles were expected to travel 4,200 miles in 30 minutes and strike targets in the Marshall Islands, the Air Force said in a statement.

Yikes!

[dpwiener]

We were attending an event at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley tonight, and we just happened to catch the launch as we were walking out the door. From the hilltop there it looked truly spectacular. The rocket blazed across the sky on a ball of white fire, trailing a zig-zag contrail which reflected the setting sun in a gorgeous range of reddish hues. Then the flame suddently disappeared, leaving just the trail of brightly-lit white and red smoke to drift away with the wind. The wind where we were was a cool, gentle evening breeze. We just stood there and stared for a while and enjoyed it all.

[Cvengr]

Here's a real trailer park photo of the launch.

[strela]

The two unarmed re-entry vehicles were expected to travel 4,200 miles in 30 minutes and strike targets in the Marshall Islands, the Air Force said in a statement.

Oops. Sounds like they didn't quite make it.

"Failed. Failed. Impressively Failed."

[doug from upland]

GREAT PHOTOS ON ART BELL WEBSITE

[Havisham]

I caught the last seconds of it in Tucson. It was bright white like a a match head just before it flames up.

[GOPyouth]

The local news here showed the video footage of it. It was some cool stuff. News said it was a ICBM test. Too cool stuff.

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

Cool. I was watching this live from Sunnyvale, about 400 miles north and it looked just the same, except I was looking due south. I was driving at the time and I had pull over to see this, and then I saw the cone from the missile and it just dissapeared in the blink of an eye.

They do this a couple times a year at least from VAFB, but this is the first time I saw it in real time.

[Physicist]

The wind speed in important--certainly I often see jet contrails last longer than 10 minutes if the conditions are right--but it also seems likely that this missle trail is very much larger and farther away than the ones you see from jets, so it will seem to move and disperse more slowly.

[johnny7]

I'm in Happyville and we saw the same thing! Those contrails are spooky. ;^)

[strela]

Thanks for your time.