SpaceX's Falcon 9 Appears As UFO In Australia 143
RobHart writes "ABC (the Australian Broadcasting Commission) has reported extensively on a bright spiraling light that was seen in Eastern Australia just before dawn. It has just broadcast a report from an Australian astronomer who has suggested that the light was probably the successful Falcon 9 launch, which would have been over Australia at that time on its launch trajectory."
Update: 06/05 22:20 GMT by T : Setting aside the literal exhaust fumes, reader FleaPlus says, It's "interesting to look at the reactions from those in Congress who control the purse-strings for NASA (one of SpaceX's biggest customers). The successful launch was congratulated by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL and former astronaut) and Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL), both praised and criticized by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) due to the successful launch being a year later than previously predicted, and blasted by Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) for merely replicating what 'NASA accomplished in 1964,' who added that the company's success 'must not be confused with progress for our nation's human spaceflight program.'"
Re:Oh, those Falcon UFOs! (Score:5, Funny)
FWIW, I have a substantial blog post with details, including a rant against the ABC story. :) This was definitely the Falcon 9 second stage, despite the UFO guy's protestations: the timing, position, and appearance all match.
Oh sure, says the Bad Astronomer!
Fools! (Score:5, Funny)
Everyone who watched knows the Falcon 9 was launched in the upwards direction, not the downwards direction needed to reach Australia.
Also, Australian UFOs spiral in the opposite direction to The Vistors who arrive in the northern hemisphere.
Re:Oh, those Falcon UFOs! (Score:4, Funny)
Look, if it's all the same to you, I'll take the transdimensional stargate warp over a measly chemical rocket any day.
But thanks for playing.
Re:Oh, those Falcon UFOs! (Score:3, Funny)
Far more likely is that the Falcon 9 second stage hit an alien spacecraft, causing it (the alien spacecraft) to spin and spew gas!
Re:Oh, those Falcon UFOs! (Score:1, Funny)
If it was the Falcon 9 then it would be identified, not unidentified. As no space agency, including NASA, have identified it then nothing on your blog will change the fact that it is a UFO and will remain that way until it is identified. That doesn't mean whatever it was contains little green men or is any more interesting than a wet fart in a heavy wind.
Re:Skylab (Score:5, Funny)
Oz has every right to be worried when pieces of spacecraft come flying over them.
Eventually we will put all the pieces together and have our own space program.
Ob. Red Dwarf (Score:4, Funny)
Supernova (Score:1, Funny)
I'm still laughing at the people in the background of the news footage (http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/1064435/ufos-seen-zooming-over-eastern-australia).
"I don't think it's a supernova now that I look at it..."
Yep. Definitely makes you proud to be an Australian.
Re:Congress is happy (Score:4, Funny)
Comparing the Constellation system to the Falcon system is like comparing an over the road semi-articulated tractor trailer to a day-cab straight truck.
Hooray, a truck analogy. Lemme fix that for you. It's like comparing a fusion-powered antigravity freighter to a day-cab straight truck. The antigravity freighter is much more impressive, but the straight truck actually exists.