[mvpel]

It was later determined that UPS flight 902 fit the facts better. It was beginning its descent for landing, and dropped out of the upper layer of the atmosphere where the contrail was forming thus clipping off the near end.

[doorgunner69]

After my thinking the opposite at first (it was a damn good missile shot appearance) I moved away, to what you think. Too much is wrong with the other, too much right with UPS902.

What really got me thinking was the complete lack of any velocity reference, and the clear fact that the entire contrail/missile smoke track was completely illuminated by the sun, where ground level in the area was clearly in the dark by then.

Then to add to this, the missile exhaust "flame" is a pallid orange, not the brilliant white to yellow anyone that has seen a launch knows it to be. Curiously (or not) the "flame" is exactly the same color as the clouds being illuminated by the sun.

Took a day or so to think through, but it is not what so many want to believe..........