My opinion of what the "Mystery Boom" in SE Virginia was

I live in Virginia Beach and I worked at NAS Oceana for six years. How about this theory... NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach is a "Master Jet Base" (the only one on the East Coast) and is also a certified "Apollo Soucek" field, meaning that one of the runways is long enough to act as a back up landing location for the space shuttle. It is well known that NASA has launched un-manned missions into space over the last year using that new top secret space craft that they have. I don't know, maybe "something" landed at NAS Oceana that they want to keep secret, unfortunately there is no way around the laws of physics and the incredible sonic boom that the mystery craft produced. I think the sound/rumble was a sonic boom created by the secret X-37b re-entering the atmosphere and landing at NAS Oceana.


X-37b

reply to post by OptimusSubprime


Interesting!
Is there a video or audio file available of the event?

Haven't heard anything about this.

OnlyLove

reply to post by OptimusSubprime
That explanation sounds completely believable to me.

They certainly wouldn't want to tell us if that is what caused it, super-secret as it is. Look for bad weather at Edwards, Vandenburg or wherever else they can land the X-37, at the time when the boom happened.... there may be some circumstantial evidence to support you theory.

ETA: Since the X-37b is unmanned, I would think that it would be able to perform maneuvers relating to re-entry that the space shuttle could not, that may give them more latitude in picking a landing site when the original landing plans need to be scrapped for whatever reason(s).

reply to post by OptimusSubprime


I live in VB as well... very plausible.

Here is a clip of the shuttle's re-entry boom for comparisonskip to :34)

I just can't believe no one saw it considering how flat our area is and the time of day it happened.

and another:


Seems to fit the descriptions people gave... I was mid-nap when it happened

The only problem with my theory is that it happened around 7PM and it would have still been light outside and that means thousands of people should have seen it.

reply to post by OptimusSubprime


Its only a problem if there was anything to see.... With All the hype about the new blackhawk choppers and their "special skin", Who's to say what stealth technology is being put to use. With the largest navel station in the world located just a short drive from here, it's not unreasonable to assume that any secret stealth tech available would be put to use locally.

reply to post by OptimusSubprime


we did also have the launch (and crash) of the hypersonic unmanned craft. Could it have been that?

reply to post by sgreco


I had no idea those were launched locally? Oceana?

Wouldn't you have had a string of sonic booms over the country ending well before its intended landing site as it gradually slowed on approach.

reply to post by iforget


Depends of the specs for the craft. With most R&D geared towards stealth technology, who can say for sure what witnesses would see or hear, if anything.

I imagine a craft that could exit and re-enter the atmosphere with little or no obvious sign would be quite valuable, militarily speaking.

Originally posted by Watts
reply to post by OptimusSubprime

 

I live in VB as well... very plausible.

Here is a clip of the shuttle's re-entry boom for comparison

skip to :34)

I just can't believe no one saw it considering how flat our area is and the time of day it happened.

and another:

Seems to fit the descriptions people gave... I was mid-nap when it happened

edit on 12-5-2011 by Watts because: (no reason given)

Loved your vids! Poor pooches

I was thinking maybe it was the hyper speed aircraft that was 'lost' at sea.

This lil guy maybe?

Cool thread. I hadn't even heard about this yet. That youtube video was pretty impressive. If I heard that I'd be driving pedal to the metal towards the border.

Originally posted by Domo1
I was thinking maybe it was the hyper speed aircraft that was 'lost' at sea.

This lil guy maybe?

Cool thread. I hadn't even heard about this yet. That youtube video was pretty impressive. If I heard that I'd be driving pedal to the metal towards the border.

I think what you speak of is the same thing the op is getting at.

reply to post by LucidFusion


except for the reported one near touchdown?