Еще и опять про очевидцев

В 1989 году в Техасе для изучения верхней атмосферы ученые США запустили здоровенный стратостат. На этапе посадки произошла авария, которая привела к появлению интересных свидетельств очевидцев, которые ну никак нельзя оставить без внимания.

The balloon was launched on June 5 1989, using the dynamic method, with assistance of launch vehicle (Tiny Tim), from the balloon base at Palestine, Texas. The flight developed without troubles, but in the last part of it, the balloon had gone over a thunderstorm west of Fort Worth, Texas. By unknown reasons an uncommanded release of the payload occured along with the separation of the parachute from the gondola, wich started a freefall back to earth from 120.000 feet. Normally when the gondola is attached to the parachute it takes about 50 minutes to reach ground but this time it took only two minutes. The payload hit the ground at an estimated speed of 700 miles per hour, on a farm located four or five miles outside Graham, Texas.

 

The NSBF's Site and Operations Manager were monitoring closely the telemetry from the balloon when the abnormal termination occured so they almost inmmediately realized the problem they had. Rapidly got a vehicle and drove to the zone where a NASA recovery team was already waiting for the balloon arrival. While driving toward Graham, they received a report that people had seen the parachute impact on the ground near Weatherford, Texas, about 80 miles to the southeast. Some people thought it was a hot air balloon falling and reported that they had seen people waving their arms. The large parachute only had about 100 pounds of weight on the bottom so it drifted a very long way and came down very slowly.

 

Meanwhile, the balloon impacted on the north shore of the Possum Kingdom Lake. It was reported by a lonely fisherman in a small boat on the lake who was very shaken because he had seen the balloon coming down through the storm clouds and thought the wrath of God was coming to get him. According to his statement, the 3000 lbs of balloon material (which had rolled up as it fell and create a chevron shape) made a lot of noise and sounded like a locomotive. At impact it covered an area of about 900 square feet...

 

http://stratocat.com.ar/fichas-e/1989/PAL-19890609.htm

Вполне понятно, что огромная хлопающая оболочка-парашют, летящая сквозь облака, напугала товарисча. Это логично. Что она же по дороге к земле приняла округлую форму за счет вращения и стала похожа на ЕнЫлО - тоже понятно. Но вот что кому-то показалось, что там люди, да еще это показалось не одному - это уже серьезно. В США конца 80-х тепловой аэростат был явлением более чем привычным(в отличие от СССР), люди видели их вокруг себя постоянно, с рекламой и без, и принять оболочку стратостата за привычный балун могли. Но вот пределы разыгрывания воображения, как видим, очень велики.

Выводы, кто что за что может принять в нашем мире, каждый, наверное, сделает сам...