Large Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 193; Flight Crew Type 2626
Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Security; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Object
General None Reported / Taken
Environment - Non Weather Related
We had just passed ROPPR; been cleared direct to WILLW; and were climbing through approximately 11;000 feet MSL when I noticed two contrails ahead of and below us to the southeast. For a brief second; I thought they might be a couple of USAF Thunderbirds; who are based at nearby Nellis AFB; practicing over the desert. However; it quickly became apparent that these were instead two rockets rapidly ascending towards our altitude at an estimated distance of two to three miles away.I quickly advised the Captain (PM) who sounded skeptical so I clicked off the autopilot and rolled slightly to the right at which point he spotted the first two contrails just as a third rocket was fired out of the desert below. Like the others; it took just seconds for its motor to burn out; at an estimated 7;000 feet to 9;000 feet; after which we were unable to track the rocket itself. But; given the speed at which they were reaching several thousand feet; it seems likely that their trajectories took them at least a few thousand feet higher.In fact; had we not been given an early turn by ATC towards the WILLW fix; and stayed on the published departure; we both think; given the rockets' estimated altitudes and positions; that their tracks could easily been an immediate threat to us; or to other aircraft of the TRALR6 Departure. As it was; the sight of rockets streaking up towards our general vicinity was still somewhat concerning.As we tried to ascertain the position from which the rockets were being launched and get a better fix on where they were heading once in flight; a fourth was fired; and followed a track roughly parallel to the first three. Although we can't say conclusively; it appeared that the rockets were fired from evenly spaced; multiple locations; starting from west to east; along a line that seemed to run very nearly directly under the departure path between the CEASR and FORGE waypoints.By now; less than a minute had probably passed since the first two contrails had been sighted; and I'll personally admit to having been a bit mesmerized by a sight that few will ever witness outside of combat. At that point Captain said; 'We've got to tell ATC;' which he immediately did; in a brief description of the situation. As he was talking; I was looking out at the contrails; which were now topping out well below and behind us as we continued our climb through approximately 14;000 feet; at which point a fifth and final (at least to our knowledge) rocket came shooting out of the desert. Unlike the first four; I noticed this rocket made a quick corkscrew during the middle of its ascent; which reminded me of the rockets we used to build and fire as children; albeit much more powerful.After I told the Captain (PM) about the fifth launch; he quickly notified the Departure Controller who very shortly afterward passed us off to LA Center. The remainder of the flight proceeded uneventfully; although we had a prolonged ACARS exchange with Dispatch in which we described the event to them.In addition; as we were passing through approximately 16;000 feet to 17;000 feet; the Captain asked if I could still see the contrails. I could just make them out so he handed me his iPad/EFB with which I managed to get one photo. At that point we were well above and ahead of the remaining contrail smoke; which was now dispersing in the mid-level winds. So; while the photo does not convey the powerful impression the rockets made when we were much nearer to their tracks; it does clearly show features on the ground which might help investigators narrow down the location from which the rockets were launched; that location being a potentially even greater hazard to aircraft arriving and departing from HND than to those from LAS.
Airline crew departing LAS in vicinity of ROPPR intersection encountered several rocket launches that were a distraction and potential hazard.