Navy releases image of missile launch

New developments on that military test missile that caught so many people by surprise Saturday night. The U.S. Navy released a photo of the missile launch on Tuesday.

It not only lit up the sky in the Coachella Valley, but all along California’s coast and as far away as Phoenix.

News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 has learned just why it was so bright and why we were kept in the dark about it.

“A lot of us were kind of freaked out frankly,” said Cathedral City resident Dene Nelson.

Some people described it as a bright light hovering in the sky.

“It was just a bright green illuminating light, just in the sky. Honestly it looked like a mist or a cloud,” said Thousand Palms resident Veronica Bouvia.

“It looked like a partial eclipse at one point because it was only halfway light at one point,” said Nelson.

“I just saw this white bright light,” said Palm Springs resident Laurie Switzer.

It caught the attention and the imagination of a lot of people.

“I didn’t know what it was, I thought it was a UFO or a star or something like that,” said Nelson.

“I didn’t know what to think, I just thought it was just some weird phenomenon,” said Bouvia.

The U.S. Navy said the submarine, USS Kentucky, test fired an unarmed Trident II (D5) missile as part of a classified launch off Point Mugu. It’s more than 150 miles away from the Valley.

“Wow and to see it so clearly in the desert, it’s pretty cool it’s exciting,” said Switzer.

But a spokesperson with the Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs tells News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 no one expected it to be so bright and so visible to so many people.

So what happened? It was partly the crystal clear skies and the time of the launch, right at dusk.

“As the vessel went up into the atmosphere and we had first stage motor separation that actually reflected off the sunlight, so that’s what caused that huge blue and greenish hue,” said Navy Strategic Systems Programs Public Affairs Officer John Daniels.

“To do something like that without any certain or warning, it just made a lot of people panic,” said Thousand Palms resident Alejandro Gomez.

“We have know idea what’s going on if they don’t tell us,” said Nelson.

Daniels said these types of classified launches happen at least once a year, and never announced ahead of time. The Navy only warns airplanes and boats to stay away a predetermined area.

“This is a demonstration of our capabilities and anybody that is out there who is our adversary sees what capabilities we have,” said Daniels.

In this case, Daniels admits it could have done better.

“In this particular case, because it was so visible and we will make means to make sure when something like this happens in the future we come out with a quicker notification,” said Daniels.

This test happened while a military operation is diverting planes at LAX. Military officials could not confirm if the missile test is a part of the same military exercise set to run through Thursday. If it is, it’s very possible we could see more lights in the sky.

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