Rocket Contrail, South of Monterey, California [ Trident II Test]

[Mick West]

Source: https://twitter.com/NWSBayArea/status/831521241416728577/photo/1


I don't see any rocket launches scheduled or announced, but this looks just like a rocket contrail. Any ideas?

View direction (based on the freeway ramp) is consistent with a launch from Vandenburg AFB

 

[Mick West]

There's a few Tweets about it,nothing official. THis certainly looks like a rocket going up.

Source: https://twitter.com/DanielleVerdugo/status/831513424425201664


I suspect an unannounced launch from Vandenburg of a Minuteman missile. Was there a TFR?

 

[Mick West]

Local radio station shared some videos
http://www.ksfo.com/2017/02/14/february-14-mysterious-light-in-the-bay-area-missile-rocket/

https://www.facebook.com/daniel.harper.355/videos/1447686648577777/

 

[M Bornong]

U.S. Navy Official John M. McDaniels told KRON4 that the Navy Strategic Systems Programs were conducting scheduled Trident II (D5) missile test flights off the Coast of California.

"This morning, there were two missiles launched," McDaniels said. "Flight tests are conducted on a frequent, recurring basis to ensure the continued reliability of the system. Each test activity provides valuable information about our systems, thus contributing to assurance in our capabilities."

http://kron4.com/2017/02/14/navy-officials-mysterious-bright-light-was-a-missile-test/

 

[EddyKilowatt]

Here's a very similar thing that I happened to catch early AM back on Oct 21, 2015. Taken from Carmel Valley (near Monterey) looking southeast, in the same direction where we see the occasional Vandenberg launch... but none of those ever looked like this. At the time I speculated maybe some fighter pilots had been getting sporty over Hunter-Liggett, but I never reached any satisfactory conclusion about what it actually was.