A Russian test launch of an intercontinental missile has failed, resulting in a white light seen over parts of Norway. The submarine-based Bulava ballistic missile failed when launched from the White Sea, the Defence Ministry's press office told Itar-Tass news agency. Read more
Rather than signalling the arrival of alien lifeforms or a meteorite in the Norwegian city of Tromso, the spectacular plume of light was produced in the wake of Russia's nuclear-capable Bulava missile. It was test-fired from a submarine in the White Sea before dawn on Wednesday. It was the 12th test launch of the Bulava and the seventh time the firing has ended in failure, the Interfax news agency said on Thursday. Read more
Russia admitted on Thursday that its much-touted Bulava intercontinental missile failed another test, after unusual lights were spotted in Norway across the border from the launch site. Source
"The missile was most likely yet another failed test launch of a Bulava missile from the Typhoon submarine Dmitry Donskoy in the White Sea area," the Barents Observer said. A similar phenomenon was spotted a month ago, but without the spectacular spiral. Source
Strange 'Norway spiral' likely an out-of-control missile
A huge, glowing whirlpool that appeared in the skies above Norway on Wednesday was most likely a failed Russian missile launch, says a Harvard astrophysicist Read more
Correction: A more likely explanation is that the spiral cloud was from an Bulava ICBM launched from a Russian Dmitry Donskoy submarine. It seems that the third stage malfunctioned venting fuel. Navtek issued a no-fly alert for the White Sea on the 9th December, 2009.