NUFORC Sighting 119623

Occurred: 2015-06-18 22:36 Local
Reported: 2015-06-19 08:23 Pacific
Duration: 30 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: San Diego, CA, USA

Shape: Orb
Characteristics: Lights on object

Second craft by the International Space Station as it passed by San Diego, California 18 June 2015

I was standing in the West Lewis Mini Park in Mission Hills, which is part of San Diego.

At 10:33pm I saw a faint satellite coming from the NW and heading SE. Since most satellites I see usually are flying either N-S, S-N, E-W or W-E; I guessed it was probably the International Space Station.

As it got closer to being almost directly overhead, I noticed there was not just one light, but a second light traveling the same path and speed. The second light was the leading light and was dimmer. At an arm's length, the 2 lights were only the width of my thumb apart.

I checked the time when I saw the 2 lights. It was 10:33pm. I went inside and checked the ISS TRACKER web page, and sure enough, the space station had passed by San Diego at that time.

I have seen the space station pass overhead several times, but this was the first time I saw another craft by the space station.

I checked the NASA web page, and there was a Russian space craft docked with the space station earlier in the day. In fact, they had a planned and successful space burn earlier in the day to change the space station orbit. The article I saw did not mention if the Russian space craft that was docked at the space station was planned to undock yesterday.

Maybe someone else can figure out when or if the Russian space craft left the space station before my sighting.

Anyway, I have pasted part of the NASA article that was posted on June 18. The International Space Station got an orbital boost this morning after a docked Russian re-supply craft fired its engines for four minutes and eight seconds. One more re-boost is scheduled for July 10, when the station will be at the proper altitude for a new Soyuz crew to dock at the end of July. The crew onboard the orbital laboratory conducted a wide array of experiments today looking at such things as radiation, liquid crystals and life science.

The trio of station residents also continued more eye checks with assistance from specialists on the ground. One-Year crew member Mikhail Kornienko participated in the Matroyshka and RADI-N studies monitoring space radiation and exploring how it affects station crew members.

6055 : 08 : 39 : 00 Station Time in Orbit Benefits to You NASA Astronauts Headline Public Events in Washington Area.

NUFORC Note:

This report was first reported for a time of 2033 hrs.. The witness later corrected the time to 2236 hrs., and we have reposted the sighting with the corrected time. PD

Posted 2015-06-19