Reply #14: Look at it again. Is that what you saw? Due west or slightly north-west would be away or

[leveymg]

a heading just slightly to the right. A westward trajectory by the "great polar route" would involve a jag North on the initial leg out. But, that thing's definitely going hard right - but, don't they all?

If this was intentional, and a message directed at China, why fling the thing in the direction of Russia? Unless, we want to send mixed-messages, of course. But, you may be right about this being a response to Russian launches in the Pacific. Do you know where the Russian Pacific range target is located?

Would you entirely dismiss the possibility of an accidental launch?