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On Thursday night, bewildered Arizonans reported a peculiar sight streaking across the sky, sparking UFO speculations. The sightings were primarily spotted across the Phoenix region.
Concerned locals began contacting news resource Arizona’s Family with messages about the strange discovery just before 8 p.m., pondering whether it might be a SpaceX satellite. However, while that was not the case, the truth wasn't too far off.
The celestial spectacle was, in fact, a product of the aerospace industry linked to the Alpha rocket's launch from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. This rocket was manufactured by Firefly Aerospace, a company originating from Texas, as part of a mission undertaken for the U.S. Space Force, a vital arm and the latest addition of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The particular mission witnessed bears the name "VICTUS NOX," a Latin phrase translating to "conquer the night," signifying its mission to navigate and conquer the darkness of space.
While the initial sightings might have frightened some, the truth behind the luminous phenomenon was firmly rooted in earthly activities, reminding people that even the most mystifying lights in the sky can often be explained by our own human endeavors in the vast and evolving realm of space exploration.