Plume from Vanderberg Missile Launch
November 10, 2005
Provided by: Rick Scott
Summary authors & editors: Rick Scott
This photo showing the spectacular plumes (condensation trails) from a Minotaur 4-stage missile was taken on September 22, 2005, at 7:35 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, from near Phoenix, Arizona. The launch site was located at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, and the missile payload was a "Streak" technology demonstration satellite. After the rocket was lost to sight, the plume from the second stage quickly expanded into a huge, diffuse glow that filled the sky from the horizon to about 15 degrees up. A bit later, the plume from the 1st stage evolved into a corkscrew shaped cloud that lasted longer than I expected. Since these condensation trails were sufficiently high to be illuminated by the Sun, which had set about an hour before the launch, they were easily visible to the unaided eye.
Related Links: