Military Says Spy Satellite Could Hit North America

Newsroom ^ | 2008-01-30 05:53am

[maquiladora]

A U.S. spy satellite set to reenter the Earth's orbit in late February or early March could hit land somewhere in North America, the military said.

Normally such objects break apart and then burn up in the Earth's atmosphere on reentry. But the military says parts of the large satellite are likely to survive reentry and become hazards as they tumble back towards Earth.

"We're aware that this satellite is out there," Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, who heads of U.S. Northern Command, said in an interview with The Associated Press. "We're aware it is a fairly substantial size. And we know there is at least some percentage that it could land on ground as opposed to in the water."

He said it is possible the satellite could hit water but the military was making plans in case it struck land instead.

U.S. military planners are also mapping out how to assist neighboring governments if the satellite were to land in Canada or Mexico.

[maquiladora]

British satellite-watcher John Locker has taken grainy video footage of the satellite which shows a white blob falling through space. ideo images of the satellite captured by Mr Locker show it to be about 13ft (3.9m) to 16.5ft (5m) across. Satellite watchers estimate it is now at an altitude of about 173 miles, and Mr Locker, a retired banker, believes it is dropping about 1,640ft (500m) a day. Where it lands will be difficult to predict until the satellite falls to about 59 miles above Earth and enters the atmosphere. It will then begin to burn up, with flares visible from the ground. From that point on it should take about 30 minutes to fall.

[Bob Buchholz]

Why don’t we just ask China to shoot it down?

[billorites]

rewriting the headline to complete the unexpressed conditional contained in the original...

Military Says Spy Satellite Could Hit North America or it Could Not

[Vaquero]

is this sucker nuclear?????

[Red Badger]

...parts of the large satellite are likely to survive reentry and become hazards as they tumble back towards Earth.

Must be full of CO2.............

[Just mythoughts]

It is a ‘leap’ year February 29, 2008????

[Red Badger]

It may have nuclear batteries.........

[listenhillary]

Nice sky show.

[kalee]

ping

[maquiladora]

The United Launch Alliance launched a Boeing Delta 7920 on Dec 14
carrying a secret National Reconnaissance Office payload. The payload
was to be deployed into an initial 354 x 376 km x 58.5 deg orbit. In
contrast to most secret launches, analysts appear to have little clue as
to what this payload may be. It has been given the cover name USA 193;
it was on launch manifests as NRO launch 21 (NROL-21).
- http://www.planet4589.org/space/jsr/back/news.575

Some speculation that the satellite might have a “nuclear” power core, i.e. a radioisotope thermoelectric generator.

[tiger-one]

Some speculation that the satellite might have a “nuclear” power core, i.e. a radioisotope thermoelectric generator

The answer to the hybrid car.

[listenhillary]

Satellite watchers estimate it is now at an altitude of about 173 miles, and Mr Locker, a retired banker, believes it is dropping about 1,640ft (500m) a day. Where it lands will be difficult to predict until the satellite falls to about 59 miles above Earth and enters the atmosphere. It will then begin to burn up, with flares visible from the ground. From that point on it should take about 30 minutes to fall.

179 miles - 59 miles = 120 miles
120 miles / 1640 feet per day = 386 days if the fall continues at this rate.

[Blue Highway]

All hope won’t be lost if by chance this satellite could land over Iran. George W would still be blamed for war mongering if this happened.

[Schnucki]

Space Cowboys?

[BallyBill]

There is also the chance that WE want it to land in the U.S. or maybe not.

[NRA1995]

Please let it hit the Kennedy residence...

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Huh... I guess it's time to dig my Skylab helmet out of storage.

[Deaf Smith]

Let’s spare Nacoghoches, Texas this time.

[SengirV]

Any other estimates on the DAY/Week this might occur? This guy is saying it will take a little over a year to fall.

[Hawthorn]

> I guess it’s time to dig my Skylab helmet out of storage <

Yep, I was thinking the same thing. My tinfoil hat clearly won’t be adequate!