Video catches mystery missile launch off L.A. coast

 MISSILE MYSTERY: On Monday night, a KCBS helicopter captured a gorgeous shot of a missile taking off into the golden sunset off the coast of Los Angeles. But it's something of a mystery as to who launched the missile, according to CBS News: "A Navy spokesperson told KFMB-TV San Diego it wasn't their missile. He said there was no Navy activity reported in the area Monday evening. On Friday night, Vandenberg Air Force Base, in California, launched a Delta II rocket, carrying an Italian satellite into orbit, but a sergeant at the base told KFMB there had been no launches since then." Launches along the coast are fairly common, and some have speculated it was a private rocket launch. Stay tuned.

OUTER SPACE: Silver Lake's venerable Spaceland club is leaving its home. (Buzz Bands)

 

APPEAL FOR STAPLES CENTER CALM: Curbed L.A. has some questions about a video warning of violence similar to what followed the Lakers' championship if downtown L.A. gets an NFL team.

COOL VIEWS: A Neon Tommy architectural photo series goes to Wilshire Boulevard.

PARKING PROBLEMS: The tale of Covina's car hoarder. (LA Weekly).

ADD ANOTHER FAST-FOOD EATERY: Orange will get Denny's first fast-food concept. "Diners will order from a takeout counter and have their food brought to the table similar to the service found at Panera Bread or Corner Bakery. Denny's promises meals to be delivered to your table within 8 minutes of ordering. For those on the go, meals and drip coffee can be ordered for takeout. Coffee costs $1.85." (Fast Food Maven).

-- Shelby Grad

 

Comments

[Ty Moore]

Was a flight plan filed? If it was a military shot, there would have been a strict no-fly zone enforced on the day of the test. The US military does not necessarily endanger civilian air-traffic. There are several amateur groups that could pull this off, but they adhere very strongly to giving notice of intent to launch to the FAA so that a proper NOTAM can be filed. So whoever this was, if no FAA flight plan was filed, they could have jeopardized civilian lives in the event of a collision. That is unacceptable and irresponsible.

[cdg]

Straight out of Clive Cussler's "Black Wind"? Dirk does it again!

[HippyHawk]

Now we know where Freddie Fatfinger (who caused the stock market crash) is now working. Ooops! Missle Launch!

[Diogenes]

Meg Whitman?

[Jim]

You know if they really didn't know whose missile it was there's be a big terrorist alert.

Done at sunset, west of Los Angeles, for maximum viewing, was intended to be seen.

Yes, they think we are stupid, as we continue to prove we are.

[DWills]

Well, it doesn't look like a Surface to Air Missile. That's a big boy, all right. If it's some secret military launch or test, you can predict they would deny it, of course. But it sure as heck wasn't Swamp Gas Reflected off Venus, now was it??

[Gary Keating]

we do know that ufos have disabled some of our nukes ...why not launch one to show their here and have the power to do such a thing?

[DJ]

Did anyone actually see this for themselves? I can't find any YouTube videos from eyewitnesses. Hard to believe that the helicopter pilot was the only one to capture a video.

[Curious]

Did anyone follow the trail? See where anything landed? Did military or anyone do anything about it or did everyone just state in awe? Shouldn't have someone followed up? Will the news followup and let us know?

[ES]

Seriously, all jokes asides, it was a MISSILE for God's sake!! In this day and age of anti-terrorism, extremism & heightened alert, in particular in this country after the Sept 11 attacks, do we really believe that no one knows anything???!!! You and i know that half the military, the media, the President and everyone else and their mothers and sisters would be down there trying to figure out the source of the incident. What a crock of $ #*%!!! Way to go in trying to scare the public!!!

[Bruno]

The contrail is too wide for an amateur group. Given that there were no military surface vessels in the area, the missile was launched from a sub. The direction was out to open sea and the size of the contrail suggests an ICBM. My guess is China launched from a stealth sub of the coast, an act of throwing around some muscle after Obama decided to debase our currency through QE2.

Don't look for any analysis in the Times though.

[RS]

Unless it was some secret military test, my only other guess is possibly Russian or Chinese sub firing a warning shot in response to the Fed buying our debt, and/or showing us how easy it is to attack us if they ever become so inclined.

[Ed]

it came from the bottom of the ocean, it was placed there by aliens millions of years ago...lol

[JB]

I think this is an ICBM launch by another country, demonstrating how close to the US it can approach in a sub, and how we would be unable to defend if this happened to be a nuke launch toward the shore. My guess is: China. That country has been trying to push the US military away from its boundaries for years through direct intimidation so this would be a continuation of those same efforts. Furthermore, the main weapon China is using to enrich itself and to weaken the US as an adversary is its currency policy and its NTB's. Anyone who doesn't believe China isn't a serious economic and military adversary to the US has his head in the sand. Obama and staff have their hands full with these folks and they need the support of the US military and business groups in the implementation of policy. Remember, China is centrally controlled and it is foolish to believe military and economic policies do not go hand in hand. Rockets are expensive for all who own them, and are never launched without a good reason.

[Lara]

There is an alternate report in which it was stated that the government issued an aircraft warning in the area.

Why is the military propagating paranoia; "unknown missiles launched near LA"? Who does the military work for? We should all be very angry about this incident.

[ES]

Somehow a missile can be launched off the coast of California, and 12 hours later the government can't come up with an explanation? That's comforting ain't it?.

[sandra salasar]

Haven't you guys ever heard of bottle rockets , they can contain red smoke , some kids are probably terrified of coming forward , in fear they might get in trouble . But secretly there probably laughing their heads off. hopefully that's all it is.

[ssalazar]

Accidents do happen, I remember a huge boom that shook our whole town, later we found out they accidentally dropped a bomb, yes a bomb, we need to be more careful.

[shepdog17]

Its quite a coinsidence that this unexplained event occurred near Catalina. Recently, there has been talk about reopening the investigation into Natalie Wood's death. She is said to have "drowned" in the waters off of Catalina. ALSO, at this present time, there is a cruise ship in trouble off the coast of California .... The ship's name is "SPLENDOR". This is the same name as the yacht that Natalie had her fatal "accident" on. On a lesser note, its kind of weird that Stephanie Power's autobiography has just hit the book shelves.

[bob]

north korea?

[bob]

Aliens. Definitely. Finally they found them!

[rex lowe]

The rocket in question appears to be a submarine launched missile, the Trident II D-5 or similar carried by an Ohio class US Navy ballistic missile sub. These submarines are being phased out or modified. The trajectory usually associated with these missiles is a more vertical one than in this case, possibly indicating a target further to the east than the usual portion of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site around Kwajalein Atoll and other islands in the Marshall Islands. These tests are usually carried out with "an aqueous solution," water, as a warhead. Such a launch, with no warning or publicity could very well have been a message to the world.

[Viktor Arnado]

Well it may pose considerably little or no danger at all . . . because it was fired from the west coast to the pacific but if it was fired from the west coast to the east then we should remember numbers. It was 11/09 - - - the Twin Towers 9/11 . . . how about 11/11?

[KC]

This was definitely a missile - it was doing gems maneuvers - things they do to knock off extra fuel to stay in a safety box.
The military always does a strict no-fly zone around the days of the test - if that wasn't posted - it wasn't ours.

[Denica De Foy]

If it was indeed a show of military force, what an odd spot to choose. I feel it is a missile, is not getting enough attention, and is being made light of even though it could be an act of War by China. Let's hope it was us!