How sure are you it was a rocket?

Hmmm, one wonders how they alert air traffic when there are unscheduled launches.
Unless it is always a no-fly zone near the launch areas....

I've lived in the 'shadow' of VAFB for over 20 years, it was definitely a rocket (or large missile) of some sort. I've seen plenty. Usually, they go straight up, but this one veered North for a while before rectifying it's course upwards. You could see the rocket itself above the exhaust trail for a long time. The backdrop was the twilight in a clear-ish sky.

The clouds that were up there, and orange from the sunset, almost looked like smoke from a fire near the launch. That was probably just an odd perspective. I was travelling west on the 126 when I saw it, so I couldn't take photographs.

Originally posted by charlyv
Hmmm, one wonders how they alert air traffic when there are unscheduled launches.
Unless it is always a no-fly zone near the launch areas....

Vandenberg is an air force base as well as a NASA facility. I'm pretty sure the airspace near there is quite tightly controlled. I've been out on the pads (as a civilian - for work). The security around the SLCs is pretty tight - plus they are quite remote. The closest airports would be Santa Barbara and Santa Maria, but I'm sure the pilots from these airports are very clued in on routes around the area.