Pilots: what is pic i took in my driveway?

Hope a pilot can identify this craft.
I took the pic just after sunrise in IAH airspace.
The more I study it, the list of questions gets longer.

-Angle, time of flight should be visible strat layers or else speed was verrry high.
-what is the rolling all about, it continues entire path.
-what is the 'bubble' at launch
-must be unmanned but in a metro area?
- heading is N-NE
- no boom heard.
-what engine makes a flat wide trail?

The attached pic is original taken with a windows phone
 

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I think this trail was created by re-entering space debris. The rotation in the trail could be caused by the object fracturing and/or parts of it causing drag on one side. It wouldn't necessarily make any kind of "boom" but can make a nice smoke trail. These things more often than not burn up before the ground, or what is left is very small and you would never notice the leftovers if you saw them.

Not likely a meteor. Something that would leave that much of a smoke trail and made of rock would cause a sonic boom that would definitely be noticed. Exhibit A is the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor. The sonic boom broke windows across a wide area.

Once I was out paddling on a lake a night with a girlfriend and all of a sudden overhead there was a bright light with a smoke trail and an odd but soft noise like a hissing. Lasted about 5 seconds and lit up the whole area. Maybe something similar. I could not see the trail after it "went out" because it was at night.

I assume you did not see the trail created, but only discovered it afterwards?
 
I think this trail was created by re-entering space debris. The rotation in the trail could be caused by the object fracturing and/or parts of it causing drag on one side. It wouldn't necessarily make any kind of "boom" but can make a nice smoke trail. These things more often than not burn up before the ground, or what is left is very small and you would never notice the leftovers if you saw them.

Not likely a meteor. Something that would leave that much of a smoke trail and made of rock would cause a sonic boom that would definitely be noticed. Exhibit A is the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor. The sonic boom broke windows across a wide area.

Once I was out paddling on a lake a night with a girlfriend and all of a sudden overhead there was a bright light with a smoke trail and an odd but soft noise like a hissing. Lasted about 5 seconds and lit up the whole area. Maybe something similar. I could not see the trail after it "went out" because it was at night.

I assume you did not see the trail created, but only discovered it afterwards?

Correct. I think it happened just prior to going outside.
I assumed too a boom would be heard indoors.
 
There is no craft in the picture.

Have you never seen a Contrail before.

The aircraft was not spinning or traveling fast enough for a sonic boom.

Swirling effects happen all the time with turbulence.



This Summer in my area Contrails were no were to be found.

As usual around Sept they start to pick up.
When it gets cold enough your more likely to see more contrails.
And often before storms or heavy rains you see a lot of them
 
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Could it be heading towards Nevada perchance?

JFetter, Area 50.. lives with problem neighbours (oops sorry neighbors).

That contrail is quite old.

If the contrail looks like a line with pulses on it (like a pearl necklace) then you could be looking at a scramjet powered hypersonic vehicle.. like Aurora.

Innovative - it uses the shockwave as part of the engine..
 
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