NUFORC Sighting 180782

Occurred: 2024-03-10 21:10 Local
Reported: 2024-03-10 22:25 Pacific
Duration: 2 minutes
No of observers: 4

Location: Santa Maria, CA, USA
Location details: On the highway, flat grass land area with mountains ahead.

Shape: Other
Color: Glowing orange
Estimated Size: 30ft
Viewed From: Land
Direction from Viewer: 300 degrees northwest
Angle of Elevation: 75
Closest Distance: 220ft
Estimated Speed: 15mph
Explanation: Rocket - Certain
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aura or haze around object, Emitted beams

Driving on highway, mom sees bright sphere being powered by some sort of fire. Then shoots something and goes away.

Our family of 4 were on our way back from LA to SLO (where we live) and we were on highway 101 west side, in Santa Maria. All the sudden my mom freaks out (she was the driver) saying, "Oh my god do you see that? Is that fire or what?" Me and my dad looked to the window and I noticed it second. It was some sort of glowing circle with a fire trail behind it, keeping a steady pace and height from the ground. Thats how we knew it wasn't something on fire. The glowing circle had the fire coming out from the side and seemed to not change direction. It lasted for about a minute or 2 and we lost sight of it after continuing driving.

NUFORC Note:

Starlink 7-17
Falcon 9
SpaceX
SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB

Posted 2024-03-13