Very logical Joe. I did think about it for a moment however. I guess the so called offical report is jet contrail. Still weird. Guess one would have had to observed it in real time to draw own determination. ET is as good as anyones' guess. I need a stiff drink............

Will be on the road during Dec 4 launch. Maybe weather will cooperate so I can be @ New Year launch. Blue Skies everyone.

It's not like were going to chase them.
😯

I guess they gave up trying to find intelligent life on this planet. 8)

I agree with Joe, however. I would like to point out that Wiley Coyote is still looking to get the Road Runner and it is entirely possible that the contrail was yet another failed attempt with the larger class ACME rocket.

8)
I think you guys need a launch real soon! 😉

Yes, we do... 🙄

Off this topic but I guess she's getting old...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40198732/ns/technology_and_science-space/

"NASA finds 4th crack on space shuttle fuel tank"

Good point, Doug, and if Discovery takes more lives... will we be surprised? C'mon, replace the blasted fuel tank! Cracks under the shuttle's stress? This is not the way to go out... not by the country who went to the moon. I am really sickened by our leadership's refusal to realize what our space program has meant to the success of our country...

This was sent to me by my Grandmother who stills stays in touch wth alot of her retired military friends. You guys may already have seen it, but I thought it was interesting. This is NOT intended to spark a political debate of any sort, just interesting reading on this threads topic. Also a bit scary if it's true...

Subject: AN OPEN LETTER FROM BRIG. GENERAL JIM CASH USAF RET TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. REF: CHINESE MISSILE ICBM LAUNCH OFF THE LOS ANGELES COAST.

Sliding silently under the mud, muck and fog of national politics, is a current event that makes Bill Clinton's excursion into the world of elderly sex look tame in comparison. This time the nation's national security is truly threatened in my opinion, and it involves not only a weak President with limited problem-solving ability, but leadership at the highest levels in the Pentagon as well. The American people would do well to demand a full investigation by an unbiased group, and let the chips fall where they may. I am referring to the "missile shot" taken off the California coast recently, and the lame response by NORAD, the Pentagon and the White House itself.

First, in hope of adding some creditability to my assessment of what really happened just off the coast of Los Angeles let me convey a bit of my background which can be checked easily by going to Google and typing in my name. An Air Force biography will appear.

During the late eighties I was assigned to NORAD, as a Command Director initially and later as the assistant Director of Operations for NORAD. The NORAD operation was located inside the Cheyenne Mountain complex just outside Colorado Springs, Colorado. Twenty four hours a day a team of approximately 150 highly trained individuals, lead by a Brigadier General, monitored one of the most sophisticated computer systems in the world. This system was fed data from many different sensors that were able to detect missile shots from any point on the globe. All this data was taken into consideration when making the "assessment" as whether or not North America and/or Canada were threatened by such a launch. If the launch was assessed as a true threat, the President was contacted immediately by NORAD through a military individual always close to the President who carried what we called, "the football", a black brief case with release codes for our nuclear forces. I know the system well, as for near three years I led one of those teams.

In addition, for over 25 years, I flew US Air Force fighters to include the F-106, F-4, F-15, F-16, and commanded an F-15 Squadron and an F-16 Wing. The sole purpose of the F-106 assignment was to maintain an ability to become airborne in minutes to intercept inbound bombers posing a threat to the US mainland. Untold hours were spent studying and being tested on visually identifying an air-to-air threat to include its type and threat potential. I understand the difference in an aircraft contrail and a missile launch contrail.

In my opinion there is absolutely no doubt that what was captured on video off the coast of California was a missile launch, was clearly observed by NORAD, assessed by a four-star General in minutes, and passed to the President immediately. That is the way the system works, and heads fall if there is a failure. This is one of the most important tenets of National Defense and its sole purpose of protecting the American people. Even the smallest failure in this system gets intense scrutiny at the highest level.

....
[Content edited by webmaster - Violation of Terms of Service - inappropriate political content unrelated to rocketry.]
....

Jim Cash
Brig. Gen., USAF, Ret.

Senior Chief Geoff M. Ross
United States Navy retired.
Surface Warfare / Air Warfare Specialist
Serving from July 29th 1982 through December 31st 2002
Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid - President Ronald Reagan

Astonishing read and probably right on. I'm reminded of the "Men in Black" - There's always an Arquillian Battle Cruiser, or a Corillian Death Ray, or an intergalactic plague that is about to wipe out all life on this miserable little planet, and the only way these people can get on with their happy lives is that they DO NOT KNOW ABOUT IT!

Why the big secret? People are smart. They can handle it.
A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it. Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow

Why the big secret? People are smart. They can handle it.
A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it. Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow
_________________

Profoundly said, Joe, and you and I and others know what you mean. The time for truth is coming. But then again, most of us, oh, who fly rockets, knew that it was a missile. Governments throw so many clay pigeons up that who knows what is real anymore? We had a President who threw us into a nine trillion dollar debt and two wars, now our current Prez is doing the same. Take a coin and flip it, which ever side comes up doesn’t matter. Same ol,’ same ol’. To put that into perspective, I am 57 years old, which is only 1.8 billion seconds+ old! One was a complete idiot, the other brilliant but with no, uh, boosters and follow-through. If the people, us, are not heard and no longer in control of our country, which is now, we are so screwed, yet responsible. Reminds me of the “Ants” movie, when the hornets, bees, or whatever they were said: “There are more of them than us, they must not that know that!” And, I paraphrase. Man, I wish I had the way and “boosters” to make this New Years Day launch. Guys, here in Denver, we’re going to have 50 degree drop. All my NCR hats go off to you!

While I can't say I disagree with the contention that it was a missile, I have to say that this is a political posting in its tone and therefore completely inappropriate for this website, not to mention our TOS that precludes discussion of politics, religion and sex.

I don't care if you lean right or left, any posting that contains a significant political viewpoint or agenda of any kind not directly related to rocketry (ie: The TRA/NAR suit against BATFE) is completely inappropriate. The NCR website is NOT a place for political criticism or advocacy of any kind just as it is not a place for religion or pornography. The NCR website IS a place for the discussion of club issues; model, high-power, and amateur rocketry and other technical topics of interest to people involved in rocketry. Posters who ignore these very small restrictions on content will find their threads locked.

In response to this particular posting, it would have been fully appropriate to excerpt specific quotes concerning this former military officer's opinions about the incident being discussed without including the political commentary on and criticism of our current sitting President.

Thanks in advance.

PS: Didn't mean to single you out here Batman, but I have to read too much of this crap elsewhere. The NCR website has been a haven from the political polarization and partisanship we encounter almost everywhere else in this country. Personally I wouldn't vote for either a Republican or Democrat - they're all crooks, so I don't have any interest in the tone of that particular posting.

Warren, you are ABSOLUTELY right, and it was my bad, not Bret's. He was just passing on info, not opinion, as I was. I do apologize. Kinda crossed the line there, guys... sorry. 😉

No worries Bruce, you didn't make the posting.