SpaceX celebrated their final launch of 2017 on Friday night, with their Falcon 9 rocket achieving liftoff from the Vandenberg Air Force Base. The Hollywood Reporter explained that “the goal of the mission was to send 10 satellites into low Earth orbit for satellite communications company Iridium Satellite Communications.” According to The LA Times, “officials had warned the launch could be seen across Southern California and beyond,” with the contrails being very visible in the skies over Los Angeles and surrounding areas. The official SpaceX Twitter account even did a countdown to prepare for the event.
Liftoff! https://t.co/gtC39uBC7z
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 23, 2017
However, clearly not enough people are keeping track of SpaceX’s every move, and many were confused by the strange things filling up their sky. While some people were quick to snuff out speculation, others were ready to call in Mulder and Scully to investigate. It was the perfect thing to light up Twitter’s conspiracy theory radar, and the hot takes were flying in every direction.
SpaceX, which scared the shit out of everyone on W 3rd tonight. pic.twitter.com/apI8J6xDY0
— Taffy Brodesser-Akner (@taffyakner) December 23, 2017
What a show @SpaceX what a show! #spacex pic.twitter.com/ca8zgN7I3Z
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) December 23, 2017
That was a beautiful launch, @SpaceX
Now LA, we need to talk. Keep calm, enjoy the 🚀🛰 pic.twitter.com/vLUbTY1qXw
— Bobak Ferdowsi (@tweetsoutloud) December 23, 2017
https://twitter.com/HowVeryGauche/status/944387478575706112
https://twitter.com/kellysue/status/944384276417495040
That's the official story, at least. https://t.co/QZFWylcL3V
— Matt Ford (@fordm) December 23, 2017
it’s a goddamn dragon pic.twitter.com/RZzUsoUNnc
— Karen Kilgariff (@KarenKilgariff) December 23, 2017
https://twitter.com/KeltieKnight/status/944380341535481862
*searches the area for Mulder* https://t.co/KkWsAg6b3G
— heather aka rbg the tortoise's mum (@NerdHeather) December 23, 2017
Yes, the government confirmed that there ARE aliens*
No, they're not over LA right now.
*we really need to be talking more about that Aliens Are Real NYTimes piece… https://t.co/L8guQDjpW3
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) December 23, 2017
What is this in the sky? pic.twitter.com/pjcp2MlH4v
— will.i.am (@iamwill) December 23, 2017
https://twitter.com/DonCheadle/status/944387322719567872
https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/944389163658379264
Even SpaceX founder and supergenius Elon Musk was quick to stoke the speculation fires/make fun of everyone ready to make peace with the little green men with probes.
It was definitely aliens
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 23, 2017
To be fair, earlier this week it was made public that the United States government had been funding a Pentagon program that was investigating the possibility of other intelligent life, so everyone had aliens on the brain anyway. The timing is a little suspicious…