Posted on 02/20/2008 7:51:05 PM PST by TexasBeth
Edited on 02/20/2008 8:10:37 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
WASHINGTON (AP) - A missile launched from a Navy ship successfully struck a dying U.S. spy satellite passing 130 miles over the Pacific on Wednesday, a defense official said. Full details were not immediately available.
It happened just after 10:30 p.m. EST.
Two officials said the missile was launched successfully. One official, who is close to the process, said it hit the target. He said details on the results were not immediately known.
The goal in this first-of-its-kind mission for the Navy was not just to hit the satellite but to obliterate a tank aboard the spacecraft carrying 1,000 pounds of a toxic fuel called hydrazine.
U.S. officials have said the fuel would pose a potential health hazard to humans if it landed in a populated area. Although the odds of that were small even if the Pentagon had chosen not to try to shoot down the satellite, it was determined that it was worth trying to eliminate even that small chance.
Officials said it might take a day or longer to know for sure if the toxic fuel was blown up......"
updated ap article on yahoo
Military says missile hit spy satellite
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080221/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/dead_satellite;_ylt=As_6Izuck3Tb1KkodOaoG3Eb.3QA
WASHINGTON - A missile launched from a Navy ship struck a dying U.S. spy satellite passing 130 miles over the Pacific on Wednesday, the Pentagon said.
It was not clear whether the operation succeeded in its main goal of destroying a tank aboard the satellite that carried a toxic fuel that U.S. officials said could pose a hazard to humans if it landed in a populated area.
“Confirmation that the fuel tank has been fragmented should be available within 24 hours,” the Pentagon said in a written statement.
The USS Lake Erie, armed with an SM-3 missile designed to knock down incoming missiles — not orbiting satellites — launched the attack at 10:26 p.m. EST, according to the Pentagon. It hit the satellite as the spacecraft traveled at more than 17,000 mph.
Because the satellite was orbiting at a relatively low altitude at the time it was hit by the missile, debris will begin to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere immediately, the Pentagon statement said.
“Nearly all of the debris will burn up on re-entry within 24-48 hours and the remaining debris should re-enter within 40 days,” it said.
The use of the Navy missile amounted to an unprecedented use of components of the Pentagon’s missile defense system, designed to shoot down hostile ballistic missiles in flight — not kill satellites.
The operation was so extraordinary, with such intense international publicity and political ramifications, that Defense Secretary Robert Gates — not a military commander — was to make the final decision to pull the trigger.
The government organized hazardous materials teams, under the code name “Burnt Frost,” to be flown to the site of any dangerous or otherwise sensitive debris that might land in the United States or elsewhere.
Also, six federal response groups that are positioned across the country by the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been alerted but not activated, FEMA spokesman James McIntyre said. “These are purely precautionary and preparedness actions only,” he said.
That’s true. Joint effort, and all that. But it was the NAVY baby!!! woohoo! Adm Mullen will be proud. Where are on the ABL, Air force?
Well, and well wishes to a rare friend.
LOL!
Leave him alone. He’s probably busy writing up a bill for the Navy on carbon use.
Woohoo!
I was just thinking about our wonderful guys who must have worked 20-hour days for the past month to ensure this was a success.
Beer can Bubba will certainly starve now. Class envy must be so depressing.
This is great news.
How does missile defense work?
-----------------------------------
Just fine, it would appear!
The left was rooting hard for failure here, just like they root for ABM test failures and WOT losses.
The Chinese must be seeing red (no pun intended) Ha!!
right now. We showed them it took only one try to hit the mark.
Both Russia, China and Iran are now warned.
Team America World Police
Youtube video “America, F* Yeah!”
[graphic language]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWS-FoXbjVI&feature=related
Had a clear view for about 10 minutes at full before it went behind some clouds.
Sends a not so subtle message about our capabilities too !
Woo Hoo!!!!!!!
I spent spent some time at Kwaj, Does that count?
Woo hoo! Take that, world!
Bravo zulu, squids!
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