Posted on 02/21/2008 9:30:23 PM PST by TigerLikesRooster
China irate as US shoots down satellite
By Demetri Sevastopulo in Honolulu
Published: February 21 2008 18:28 | Last updated: February 22 2008 00:21
The US navy destroyed a decaying spy satellite that was falling to earth with potentially hazardous fuel on Thursday, prompting accusations of double standards from China.
On Wednesday afternoon in the northwest Pacific, an Aegis warship fired a missile that intercepted the satellite 247km up in space. The USS Lake Erie launched the missile shortly after Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, arrived in Hawaii en route to Australia.
Mr Gates said the operation appeared to be “very successful”. The navy was attempting both to hit the satellite before it entered the atmosphere and to destroy the fuel tank, which the Pentagon said posed a hazard to humans.
General James Cartwright, vice-chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said the military had “a high degree of confidence that we got the tank” but cautioned that it would take another two days to make a final confirmation.
Earlier, a Chinese Communist party newspaper had accused the US of double standards. Washington criticised other nations for their space ambitions, while itself trying to win a military advantage in space, the overseas edition of the People’s Daily newspaper said.
Mr Gates stressed that there had been “complete transparency” surrounding the US operation. China has asked the US to proviide data about the operation. Mr Gates said the US was prepared to share where “appropriate”.
The national reconnaissance agency launched the spy satellite in December 2006. But the military lost control of it shortly after it reached orbit, when the onboard communications systems went dead. Last month the US informed other countries that the decaying satellite was falling to earth. President George W. Bush ordered the destruction of the satellite, which was carrying a toxic fuel called hydrazine.
The Pentagon has rejected suggestions it was using the failed satellite as a pretext to conduct an anti-satellite weapons test. Last year the US criticised China for conducting an anti-satellite test, destroying an ageing weather satellite in space without providing advance notice. Both tests created debris in space, which experts warned could pose a threat to other satellites.
On Wednesday night in Hawaii, Admiral Timothy Keating, the head of US Pacific command, said the US had acted responsibly by informing other countries in advance. Speaking shortly before the navy took the shot, he added that “no one has expressed concern”.
Gen Cartwright said debris from the destroyed satellite had started falling into the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The Pentagon on Wednesday said all the debris would re-enter the atmosphere within the next 40 days. Gen Cartwright played down suggestions the US had destroyed the satellite partly to stop other countries obtaining sensitive information about its spy satellites.
Ike Skelton, the Democratic chairman of the House of Representatives armed services committee, welcomed the successful strike but stressed that it was an “exceptional case”.
“We abandoned the pursuit of anti-satellite technology two decades ago due to concerns about the consequences of its use, and our country has no plans to renew those efforts,” he said.
They are next
Who gives a rip what they think?
If China is unhappy, they can go ahead and beat the crap out of Kim Jong-il.
China’s just SOL!!
Eat lead toys you Commies!
Man, they just slide that lie right into their article...
US 193 debris is *not* a threat to orbiting satellites. In contrast, the debris from the Chinese anti-sat exercise will be a threat to space objects for a century or more.
Too bad they couldn’t have used the old satellite as a sort of kamikaze directed at some useful target such as Beijing, Pyongyang, or Tehran.
We could have just said “Gravity sucks doesn’t it”.
I believe the Navy sould provide technical data to China. After all, how hard would it be to draw a round satellite on one end of an envelope, a pointy, projectile-like object at the other end, then join the two objects with a curved line representing a trajectory. Might even draw in some little dots to represent debris. Put a stamp on it and mail it.
Bulls-eye!!
Explain that please. I think I understand your reasoning, but I want to make sure.
Ooh.
I like it.
“Asian Rage Boy”
LOL
Dear China,
Go pound sand.
Hugs and Kisses,
Uncle Sam
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