The subject line of the email to KTLA 5 News was like many others purporting to have footage of UFOs: “Caught on video: Object flying across the sky.”

The viewer, Michael, shared his location, Huntington Park, California, and the specific time, 7:37 p.m. Sunday night, along with an 18-second clip of a bright object with an equally bright tail streaking across the night sky.

To be fair, Michael wasn’t trying to sound the alarm for an alien invasion or claiming to have evidence of, well, anything. It was simple curiosity; he just wanted to know what the object was and perhaps see his video on the news.

These types of sightings are becoming increasingly common in Southern California, but to label them as UFOs would be misleading.

They certainly are “Flying Objects” – they just aren’t “Unidentified.” By now, most residents should be aware that they’re rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, where the sheer volume of launches in recent months has literally soared through the stratosphere.

Michael’s “object” was a rocket carrying a train of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit that launched from Vandenberg SFB just after 7 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday night.

In 2024, Vandenberg reported 51 official (unclassified) launches, the most in 50 years. This year, that number is expected to reach a record of 70, or possibly even more, before the calendar flips to 2026. This averages around 5.8 launches per month, or more than one per week.

Put simply, bright, streaking objects across the Southern California sky have never been more common.

“Within just five years, our West Coast spaceport and test range has evolved from supporting 4-6 launches annually to executing more than 50 launches per year, transforming our operations to a high-capacity spaceport,” said Col. Mark Shoemaker, Vandenberg’s Space Launch Delta 30 commander. “As we accelerate our space launch efforts and push boundaries, we are rewriting the playbook of what is possible within the rules of the game.”

The majority of these launches officially support commercial operations, and not solely government programs. SpaceX alone is a major player.

As the number of launches continues to grow, Vandenberg Space Force Base is set to remain a key player in the nation’s defense and a crucial gateway to space from the West Coast.

“We are scaling our capacity and accelerating our space launch capabilities to meet national demands and stay competitive in the space domain,” Shoemaker said. “I am confident our skilled and dedicated team—civilians, military, and contractors—will continue to build on our achievements.”