# What was the mystery missile? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 9, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107 "2010-11-09T23:24:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/41 "2010-11-10T16:17:48Z")
It’s because you have to be able to think in Russian to make the missiles guide and launch properly… -XT ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/42 "2010-11-10T16:17:56Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Did it not hit the ground too? > > -XT You believe in that liberal propaganda about ‘the ground’? Sheeple! ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/43 "2010-11-10T16:18:20Z")
Gravity is “only a theory.” Teach the controversy! ---
**Author:** ![Hold\_Fast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58f4c7/32.png) [@Hold\_Fast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hold_Fast)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/44 "2010-11-10T16:20:10Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > I can’t believe no one’s stating the obvious here - that it was in fact a missile, but the government’s playing dumb because they don’t want to fess up to whatever secret activities they were conducting out there. It certainly wouldn’t be the first the military has told a boldfaced lie in an effort to cover something up. Haha, so the military is conducting big-top-secret operations right outside of LA? They must paying their research-site coordinator too much. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/45 "2010-11-10T16:41:01Z")
It was swamp gas. ---
**Author:** ![This\_Just\_In\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@This\_Just\_In\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/This_Just_In_2)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/46 "2010-11-10T16:53:35Z")
I’m going to have to go with my gut feeling here - the contrails are made by a zombie Hussein launching the missing Iraqi WMD’s. Timely, given Bush’s new book. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/47 "2010-11-10T17:54:07Z")
Mods: any chance of moving this to GQ so we can mention that it’s neither a missile nor a mystery–just an ordinary airplane contrail? Saw a [news report](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/11/10/earlyshow/main7040379.shtml) earlier that said the Defense Department insisted it was not a missile. The reporter goes on to end the article with: “The best guess right now is that it was either an airliner or an amateur rocket, but we may never know for certain.” So…an amateur rocket launched from the sea is still a possibility? If amateurs launch rockets, the military somehow can’t identify those as “missiles”? Here’s an idea: have amateurs launch any rocket attacks against the US. Apparently our defense schemes only identify commercial/official rockets. What exactly, is the IQ above which one is not allowed to be a news reporter? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/48 "2010-11-10T18:14:40Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > So…an amateur rocket launched from the sea is still a possibility? If amateurs launch rockets, the military somehow can’t identify those as “missiles”? They’d be lying if they did. [Rockets lack guidance systems, while proper missiles have a guidance system.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missile#Etymology) ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/49 "2010-11-10T20:35:20Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > They’d be lying if they did. [Rockets lack guidance systems, while proper missiles have a guidance system.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missile#Etymology) Somehow I suspect a “missile” detection system that only detects inbound long threatening things shaped like a missile if they contain guidance systems would not get a pass by the military based on a nuanced definition of a word as it applies to munitions. But hey, I guess that sort of splitting of hairs is what keeps the paranoid and naive going when they parse out the various denials issued by the Gubmint, huh? And identifying such an object as a missile instead of a rocket would be a “lie,” huh? FWIW, it’s much more reasonable to say that missiles are a subset of rockets in common parlance and that many rockets (including most of the non-toy ones shot off by either the military or a space agency) have a guidance system but are not missiles carrying munitions. I realize there is a determination to find some sort of nefarious cover-up here, **Squink** , but you are barking up the wrong tree. I’m pretty sure if the military says it’s not a missile they are including all rockets large enough to leave this trail–even if they don’t have guidance systems or carry munitions at all. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/50 "2010-11-10T21:27:44Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > This is a great point. The military has a long and obvious history of deceiving the public about its various nefarious missions. The likeliest explanation here is a de-population chemtrail (cleverly disguised as a “missile launch” to throw off the Public) from a Government Program, possibly in an effort to reduce future healthcare costs in over-populated areas. Of course, like former Ambassador Ellsworth said on the TV news show, perhaps the military decided to do a submarine ballistic missile launch just to remind the Asians that we can. The key is that the military always denies to the US Public even if the purpose of the mission is to have the Enemy know our capability. And I think everyone is being way too hasty ruling out aliens…if it is an alien launch, you can bet the military is going to cover that up, too. > > The key to getting to the Truth is to look for the most likely explanation, which is almost always Conspiracy of some kind, rather than utterly ordinary events. > > It’s all very exciting. See? Now _ **that’s** _ rampant speculation! Well done, sir, well done! I find your ideas intriguing, and wish to subscribe to your newsletter! ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/51 "2010-11-10T22:17:51Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > the Defense Department insisted it was not a missile. The government says it was not a missile. Why won’t you believe? ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/52 "2010-11-10T22:29:24Z")
[This guy](http://blog.bahneman.com/content/it-was-us-airways-flight-808) thinks it was US Airways Flight 808. ---
**Author:** ![Alienhand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8edcca/32.png) [@Alienhand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alienhand)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/53 "2010-11-10T22:30:36Z")
[ABC report](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/air-scare-military-officials-baffled-mystery-missile/story?id=12105074&page=1) on Pentagon statement. [QUOTE= ABC News] “With all the information that we have gathered over the last day and a half about this condensation trail (contrail) off the coast of southern California on Monday night, both within the Department of Defense and other U.S. government agencies, we have no evidence to suggest that this was anything other than a contrail caused by an aircraft,” Pentagon spokesman Col. David Lapan said. [/QUOTE] But… [QUOTE= ABC News] Lapan said the Pentagon is not interested in tracking down the plane responsible for a story that drew worldwide attention. The U.S. military will not continue to gather specifics such as how far the plane was flying or where it may have been traveling to. He speculated that perhaps the Federal Aviation Administration might have the capability of making those determinations, but as far as the military’s concerned the case is closed. [/QUOTE] The conspiracy nuts are going to be busy for awhile. Nice try at punting the ball, though. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/54 "2010-11-10T22:37:05Z")
Nobody has mentioned the Space Nazis yet. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/55 "2010-11-10T22:40:17Z")
Sorry, I was viewing some Internet pr0n that evening and may have let 'er rip. My apologies for all of the consternation I may have caused. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/56 "2010-11-11T01:09:18Z")
For what it’s worth, a friend of mine who is in the business of knowing the differences between missile contrails and airplane contrails says it is an airplane. So disregard my earlier conspiratorial musings… ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/57 "2010-11-11T01:49:14Z")
The result of Glenn Beck taking Viagra. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/58 "2010-11-11T12:55:11Z")
> [@fiddlesticks](#): > > For what it’s worth, a friend of mine who is in the business of knowing the differences between missile contrails and airplane contrails says it is an airplane. So disregard my earlier conspiratorial musings… **Jane’s Editor: Yeah, That Was A Missile** by Stephan Tawney on November 10, 2010 \*Despite the new common wisdom about jet contrails, **an editor for Jane’s Defence Weekly** says that missile-like objected spotted off the coast of California was definitely a missile. ``` But Doug Richardson, the editor of Jane’s Missiles and Rockets, examined the video for the Times of London and said he was left with little doubt. “It’s a solid propellant missile,” he told the Times. “You can tell from the efflux [smoke].” Richardson said it could have been a ballistic missile launched from a submarine or an interceptor, the defensive anti-missile weapon used by Navy surface ships. ``` - [http://amerpundit.com/2010/11/10/janes-editor-yeah-that-was-a-missile/](http://amerpundit.com/2010/11/10/janes-editor-yeah-that-was-a-missile/) ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/59 "2010-11-11T13:55:19Z")
So, now, what’s this? [Red Vapor Trail in NYC](http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2010/11/10/did-you-see-the-fire-in-the-nyc-sky/)? Experts say it’s a contrail, but it’s moving awfully fast… Could recent volcanic eruptions or something have had an effect on particulate matter at sunset to cause these uncommon contrails all of the sudden? Just a coincidence, since they’re both on tape? The Soviets? Martians? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107/60 "2010-11-11T14:40:55Z")
That silly ol’ USS Bedford. What kind of shennanigans are they up to now? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-mystery-missile/560107.md?page=4)