Russia Admits Failed Missile Launch Caused 'UFO' Lights In Norway

tpmlivewire ^ | December 10, 2009, | Jillian Rayfield

[JoeProBono]

Turns out they're not "out there" after all. Those UFO sighting in Norway this morning weren't actually UFOs -- just a Russian missile test gone wrong.

The Russian Defense Ministry admitted today that its Bulava intercontinental missile failed a test launch, following reports of unusual lights in Norway that caused an influx of UFO sightings.

Russia's submarine-based Bulava (Mace), which is designed to carry multiple warheads up to 5,000 miles, failed its 13th test launch, something Alexander Khramchikhin, chief analyst at the Institute of Military and Political Analysis in Moscow, called "a catastrophe."

"Billions of dollars have been flushed down the drain," he reportedly said.

A Defense Ministry spokesman said in a statement that the missile failed in its third stage, which caused an odd swirling light to appear to Norwegian scientists observing the area near the White Sea.

Truls Lynne Hansen, head of Troms Geophysical Observatory in Norway, said that missile launches are commonly observed from Russia, but "normally we see the second stage of the rocket burning then it disappears. This was something very unusual."

Tandberg also commented on the influx of calls claiming a UFO sighting: "I think it was clear to most people that it was not a UFO, as most people define a UFO. Of course everything is a UFO until you know what it is. But most people think about UFOs as aliens and things like that, that was something that came up very early but not later."

[mysterio]

Lol, exactly.

I'm shocked, shocked to find that it wasn't space monsters.

[null and void]

Imagine a pinwheel in space.

As it turns it ejects material outward, by the time it has made a full revolution the bit that it first ejected at that angle has travelled away from the center, and it adds a new bit in that direction.
Next revolution, there are two bits away from the center, one further than the other.
Next revolution, three bits evenly spaced and so on.

In the vacuum of space you get a perfect spiral.

To me it looks like the engine was a little off center, and the missile travelled a corkscrew path trying to correct, ending when the nozzle jammed hard over.

YMMV

[N. Theknow]

Is the blue thingy pointing to where 0bama was lying in a manger?

[In Maryland]

Just the Russians doing their part to add to the “Peace Prize” celebrations!

[Jewbacca]

It’s even easier than that. The missle flies in cork screw of the same diameter each rotation.

The “pin wheel” effect is caused by the force perspective of the rocket flying away from the viewer.

(That is, the loops closer look bigger and the loops farther away look smaller.)

[The Comedian]

OK, I see what you mean.

That makes sense if the image is basically a time exposure capturing every event from launch to expiration of the booster(s) of all stages.

You're asserting, though, that this crazy-a$$ missle's trajectory, spinning like a top, actually made it into low earth orbit where gravity didn't deform the perfectly circular spiral swirl resulting when the nozzle locked hard to one side and expended the remainder of its fuel, right?

Seems a miracle that it made it into space, considering the deformation of flight path apparent from lift off onward. Also, there is no downward drift to the background spiral which one would expect if the expelling body was still in motion, either following a sub-orbital trajectory, or falling to earth.

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[paulycy]

where gravity didn't deform the perfectly circular spiral swirl

The lack of deformation of the pattern is where I balk too. Growing up in southern california we viewed *lots* of rocket and missile trails from Vandenburg AFB and none ever came even close to maintaining a shape for more than an instant.

If someone wants to propose that this still image was taken at the most incredibly opportune instant then I could maybe buy it after having seen the youtube explanation, etc. But I'm still having trouble accepting this completely. It just seems too perfect over too long a time. But....?

[Pharsalus]

Epic Fail.

[OB1kNOb]

I like my momentary rip in the space-time continuum theory better. :-)

[Jewbacca]

It does deform, with the larger (earlier and closer) loops blowing away.

[JoeProBono]

"I like my momentary rip in the space-time continuum theory better"

[JoeProBono]

[paulycy]

It does deform, with the larger (earlier and closer) loops blowing away.

Interesting things do happen.

The best thing about this is posting the dopey pictures. That's fun!

[null and void]

*shrug* The contortions of the smoke trails at Vandeland are due to high altitude winds.

I recall watching one during the boost phase and it formed a perfect cone once it left the atmosphere, so much so that for a moment I thought it was the diverging beam of a spotlight.

No idea what it would have looked like from something close to directly behind.

I read somewhere that this is a timed exposure, dunno if that is accurate, but if it is the longer exposure should have blurred the spiral into a featureless disc.

As for The Comedian’s excellent point about the pinwheel not being distorted by the down range motion of the missile?

Good point. The only way I can save my beautiful theory from ugly facts is to insist that all the spinning happened over a very short time...

[null and void]

Glenn Beck is going to cover it.

Showed a video, took about 10-15 seconds for the spiral to form.

Yet another beautiful theory ruined by ugly facts.

*grumble* *grumble* *grumble* *grumble*

[paulycy]

Good point. The only way I can save my beautiful theory from ugly facts is to insist that all the spinning happened over a very short time...

Just this moment Glenn Beck showed the video. It doesn't look so well-formed in the video. That's why I think the still image has been doctored, very expertly perhaps but it's so perfect that it just doesn't seem "natural" even for a rocket launch.

[null and void]

The video shows it forming from the middle.

[Thunder90]

This could be another “Staged Failure” by the Russians to cover up their Bulva program and keep it out of arms control treaties. Also, by firing it over Norway, Russia was sending a message to Obama

[Daffynition]

GIZMODO had this explanation earlier today......

http://gizmodo.com/5422792/this-is-how-the-mysterious-giant-spiral-happened

[Daffynition]