Military launches mystery missile from Cape Canaveral; Army names hypersonic program 'Dark Eagle'
Story by Rick Neale, Florida Today • 17h
An undisclosed missile streaked skyward with rapid speed Friday, April 25, during a Department of Defense test from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, leading space observers to conclude it could have been another Dark Eagle hypersonic missile launch.
The secretive morning launch, which ascended from the Cape over the Atlantic Ocean, was not publicly announced. But unusual rocket-related navigational advisories released in recent days provided clues that a Dark Eagle test launch was possible.
"It got shot out of a launcher and then ignited. And it took off — a lot, lot, lot faster than any other Falcon 9 that you would see lift off here at the Cape," Cape Canaveral space photographer Jerry Pike said.
"It left a big, solid propellant smoke trail on its way up," said Pike, who had set up his camera at the beach at Jetty Park and waited for a possible liftoff, lens pointed northward.
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