Posted on 02/20/2008 3:58:23 PM PST by SandRat
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2008 – The Pentagon has opened the window of time in which it will shoot down a malfunctioning U.S. reconnaissance satellite, a senior U.S. military officer said here today.
Today’s return of the space shuttle Atlantis to Earth prompted the start of the optimal time period for shooting down the satellite, which extends until about the end of the month, the senior officer told Pentagon reporters.
Only “tens of seconds” will be available each day for a favorable launch of a ship-based SM-3 interceptor missile, the senior officer said. “The window is small, … but we’re looking for the best orientation of the satellite” before launching the missile, the officer explained.
The 5,000-pound satellite malfunctioned soon after it was launched in 2006, making it unresponsive to ground control. It is carrying a tank full of hydrazine, a toxic rocket fuel. The satellite, orbiting every 90 minutes or so, was expected to fall to Earth in February or March with its tank of hydrazine intact, possibly endangering human populations.
President Bush directed the Defense Department to engage the satellite just before it enters the atmosphere at about 150 miles above the Earth. The goal is for the missile to hit and rupture the tank of rocket fuel, causing the hydrazine to burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere, along with debris from the stricken satellite.
About 50 percent of debris produced by the missile strike is expected to burn up during the stricken satellite’s first two orbits after being hit, the senior military officer said, with the rest burning up shortly after. The strike is designed to leave no space debris.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is to give the order to launch, based upon commanders’ recommendations, the senior officer said. Gates will be advised as to the optimal time to launch by the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, based at Offutt Air Force Base, in Omaha, Neb.
All space sensor and missile-tracking activity related to the missile launch is being coordinated by the Joint Space Operations Center, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Sensors, such as large radars and telescopes, are being coordinated by the Joint Integrated Missile Defense Team in Colorado Springs, Colo., under the U.S. Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command.
Three U.S. Navy ships -- the cruiser USS Lake Erie and the destroyers USS Decatur and USS Russell -- are posted in the Pacific Ocean waiting for an optimal time to launch, the senior officer said. The Erie is slated to shoot at the satellite, and it is fitted with two SM-3 missiles. The Decatur has one, and the Russell has none. The missiles were modified to carry additional sensor equipment for the mission, the senior officer said.
The launch will be conducted during daytime over the Pacific, the senior officer explained, so that all sensors involved can better track the results of the missile launch. Necessary criteria for launch include satisfactory alignment of all pre-launch sensor-supplied data, as well as favorable weather conditions, he said.
Currently, the wave height about the ships is unfavorable to launch, the officer said. However, this and other conditions are subject to change, he added.
Well that’s it folks.. either they did and didn’t or did and did,
or just watched the SOB go by .....
I don’t know.
It would be cool if they gave the info to the Heavens Above site first and they just remove it. LOL
I can see it! I went outside (freezing!) and found it
having trouble getting my new camera to take the pics
With the speed this rocket is going to be moving, it won’t take long to get up 150 miles or so. We should know something soon, if they had a launch.
Too much to hope for a night time intercept.........
We watched it fly by at about 6:40 tonight. We also saw a beautiful falling star!
How will we know if they got it or not?
Yes..I did read your earlier post and learned alot. You are probably right on target with your analysis. The Pentagon told the press that they would inform them within an hour of any launch..so we should know pretty soon.
I did an image search on google with “lunar eclipse”. Some of the first few pick look about what it looks like tonight....that strange orange haze.
Cmsgop might be able to see debris in Seattle soon.
I’m only a few miles from DC and I can see it great. But my camera doesn’t want to take the pic :(
Still crossing my fingers for Aegis BMD
Cool!! They must not have shot it down then if you are somewhere cold and it was still in the sky. ????
Amazing eclipse tonight. Why is it so red this time?
Thanks for posting the track BTW.
I’m having a case of restless leg syndrome!!!!(which, by the way, I do not have!)
They have hit it!!!!! Via Fox
Per FOX it’s a HIT!!
We got it!
OK- FOX just reported “the Pentagon reports we have hit the missle”......
SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!
WE HIT THE TARGET!!!
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