US to try to shoot down spy satellite
US to try to shoot down spy satellite
By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - Taking a page from Hollywood science fiction, the Pentagon said Thursday it will try to shoot down a dying, bus-size U.S. spy satellite loaded with toxic fuel on a collision course with the Earth.
The military hopes to smash the satellite as soon as next week - just before it enters Earth's atmosphere - with a single missile fired from a Navy cruiser in the northern Pacific Ocean.
The dramatic maneuver may well trigger international concerns, and U.S. officials have begun notifying other countries of the plan - stressing that it does not signal the start of a new American anti-satellite weapons program.
Military and administration officials said the satellite is carrying fuel called hydrazine that could injure or even kill people who are near it when it hits the ground. That reason alone, they said, persuaded President Bush to order the shoot-down.
"That is the only thing that breaks it out, that is worthy of taking extraordinary measures," said Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a Pentagon briefing.
He predicted a fairly high chance - as much as 80 percent - of hitting the satellite, which will be about 150 miles up when the shot is fired. The window of opportunity for taking the satellite down, Cartwright said, opens in three or four days and lasts for about seven or eight days.
"We'll take one shot and assess," he said. "This is the first time we've used a tactical missile to engage a spacecraft."
FULL STORY
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080215/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/dead_satellite;_ylt=A0WTcUhlNbVHdaUA8gSs0NUE
By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - Taking a page from Hollywood science fiction, the Pentagon said Thursday it will try to shoot down a dying, bus-size U.S. spy satellite loaded with toxic fuel on a collision course with the Earth.
The military hopes to smash the satellite as soon as next week - just before it enters Earth's atmosphere - with a single missile fired from a Navy cruiser in the northern Pacific Ocean.
The dramatic maneuver may well trigger international concerns, and U.S. officials have begun notifying other countries of the plan - stressing that it does not signal the start of a new American anti-satellite weapons program.
Military and administration officials said the satellite is carrying fuel called hydrazine that could injure or even kill people who are near it when it hits the ground. That reason alone, they said, persuaded President Bush to order the shoot-down.
"That is the only thing that breaks it out, that is worthy of taking extraordinary measures," said Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a Pentagon briefing.
He predicted a fairly high chance - as much as 80 percent - of hitting the satellite, which will be about 150 miles up when the shot is fired. The window of opportunity for taking the satellite down, Cartwright said, opens in three or four days and lasts for about seven or eight days.
"We'll take one shot and assess," he said. "This is the first time we've used a tactical missile to engage a spacecraft."
FULL STORY
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080215/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/dead_satellite;_ylt=A0WTcUhlNbVHdaUA8gSs0NUE
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the f-15 was a good shot with the sat killers.
but they are using a missile ground launched.
they did good on the last anti missile shot.
think theyve got a good chance0 -
gee, last time the chinese shot down a satellite for "target practice" they were irresponsible yahoos starting another arms race. but here we're the Good Guys shooting down the Big Bad Satellite. the media is so full of it. 0 -
The Bush Administration must think we're terminally stupid or something.
"Oh, we're going to shoot it down so that it won't hit any inhabitated areas and kill lots of civilians!"
Yeah, well, that particular concern came about seven years too late, you jackasses.
As buschmaster noted, we're simply upping the ante with China, proving that we too can shoot down our own satellites...
Paint me underwhelmed.
But if it makes you feel any better, it's nice to know that if it ever comes down to a shooting war with China, we will have the capability to blind ourselves good and hard seeing as how the majority of military, GPS, and spy satellites in orbit are ours!
How's that for forward thinking?0 -
I'm wondering if indeed this is a spy satellite or something worse.
However, I think it is neat, in a strange way, that we can do this.
However, at the same time, I wonder what's going to happen if we miss.0 -
quote:Originally posted by spanielsells
I'm wondering if indeed this is a spy satellite or something worse.
However, I think it is neat, in a strange way, that we can do this.
However, at the same time, I wonder what's going to happen if we miss.
If we miss then NASA will send the space station after it! The astronauts will use the rifle they stashed on the escape soyuz capsule. The only question then is how much solar wind will affect the trajectory.[:D]0 -
quote:Originally posted by ripley16
quote:Originally posted by spanielsells
I'm wondering if indeed this is a spy satellite or something worse.
However, I think it is neat, in a strange way, that we can do this.
However, at the same time, I wonder what's going to happen if we miss.
If we miss then NASA will send the space station after it! The astronauts will use the rifle they stashed on the escape soyuz capsule. The only question then is how much solar wind will affect the trajectory.[:D]
Or or or or ummmmmmmmmmm ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm what if, um, what if the missile missed and ummmmmmmm the missile instead HIT (kapow!) hit the space station? Would they have time to get the rifle and take out the missile?0 -
The Chinese shot a satellite 600 miles out, leaving a million little pieces floating around Earth for a long time.
The US will attempt to shoot a satellite that is about to pass thru our atmosphere....very little will stay up there for long.
Hydrazine would never make it thru re-entry, it's a very, very combustible fuel. The mere heat of reentry would make a big boom and kill itself.
Therefor it either has something else bad on it, or the military wants target practice.
If it's radioactive....they definitely want to have it go boom over Guam or Hawaii instead of the States.
If I were President I'd ask China to shoot it down for us. Why spend the money?0 -
If you can hit a satellite as it comes through the atmosphere does that mean we can hit a nuke on it's way down? Seems to me like it's plausible. I'm all for our military getting to try out new techniques and weaponry BEFORE it must be used on the field of battle. 0 -
I just hope their sure of their target ,and "WHAT'S BEYOND"!![:0] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by buschmaster
gee, last time the chinese shot down a satellite for "target practice" they were irresponsible yahoos starting another arms race. but here we're the Good Guys shooting down the Big Bad Satellite. the media is so full of it.Comparing this plan with China's satellite shoot-down is apples and oranges.
We're attempting to minimize danger by breaking up one of our's that's on an inevitable re-entry descent. China was just saber rattling by demonstrating their ability to bring down a satellite from operational orbit.
When they popped this satellite they instantly almost doubled the amount of space junk orbiting the earth. The resulting blizzard of orbting trash this created is made of pieces of significant size that they pose a danger to all country's orbiting satellites. These things have a limited amount of fuel and everyone was forced to expend some of this in order to reposition and avoid this huge mess China has created up there.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Txs
quote:Originally posted by buschmaster
gee, last time the chinese shot down a satellite for "target practice" they were irresponsible yahoos starting another arms race. but here we're the Good Guys shooting down the Big Bad Satellite. the media is so full of it.Comparing this plan with China's satellite shoot-down is apples and oranges.
We're attempting to minimize danger by breaking up one of our's that's on an inevitable re-entry descent. China was just saber rattling by demonstrating their ability to bring down a satellite from operational orbit.
China's weather satellite was on an inevitable descent, too. It had ceased functioning and was going to come down sooner or later.
But I love how you bought into the media spin on this:
"China was saber-rattling...
... but we're trying to save lives!"
Like I said, it's nice knowing that the Administration suddenly cares about things flying through the sky and killing American civilians. Such concernes leading up to 9-11 would been better-placed.0 -
quote:Originally posted by PATBUZZARD
If you can hit a satellite as it comes through the atmosphere does that mean we can hit a nuke on it's way down? Seems to me like it's plausible. I'm all for our military getting to try out new techniques and weaponry BEFORE it must be used on the field of battle.
Yes Pat but we have significantly less time with a nuke.[B)]0 -
I think it's a great test for our armed forces I hope they don't miss it will be embarassing for us the other thing is it maybe something other then what they say and want to make sure no pieces fall to earth and be indentified. HHmmmm very intresting. 0 -
I think they should use the F15 with satillite killer missiles. That's one of the primary roles the plane was developed for in the first place. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by ElMuertoMonkey
[China's weather satellite was on an inevitable descent, too. It had ceased functioning and was going to come down sooner or later.
But I love how you bought into the media spin on this:
"China was saber-rattling...
... but we're trying to save lives!"China's satellite was in a very slowly descending orbit, but was still far from beginning re-entry. Consider too that it measured only 2.02m X 2.00m X 2.215m and weighed 958kg. Due to it's small size and construction it was predicted to just about completely burn away during re-entry and pose no danger to anyone on the ground.
Our satellite, described as the size of school bus, has descended to where it's only weeks away from beginning re-entry and it's widely acknowledged that it won't completely burn up before it falls to earth. If we don't break it up in smaller pieces that can burn away we risk causing serious issues somewhere in the world, the result of which could hamper our future efforts.
Due to it's size there was really no need for China to shoot their's down, especially while it was still in a high orbit. They just chose to use it as a target for a worldwide weapons demo. We actually have a pressing need to destroy this one, the testing of our systems and the demonstration that we can do a better job of this than China will of course be side benefits.0 -
i can tell you one thing, i for one am honored to preside among the worlds finest rocket scientist in the world right here on gb
now we just need to cure cancer[:)]0 -
Let's all load up our rifles and give them a hand! [:p] 0 -
uhh...its a spy satellite....it takes pictures. it has data. something is in that target that they want destroyed that never made it back to good ole usa.[B)]
or it could be they just used it for porn.
or they know where the wmd is but dont want anyone to find out in the wreckage.[:0]0 -
quote:Originally posted by bobski
uhh...its a spy satellite....it takes pictures. it has data. something is in that target that they want destroyed that never made it back to good ole usa.[B)]
or it could be they just used it for porn.
or they know where the wmd is but dont want anyone to find out in the wreckage.
I bet they have lots of "down blouse" shots! [:p]
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quote:Originally posted by Zulu7
I think they should use the F15 with satillite killer missiles. That's one of the primary roles the plane was developed for in the first place.
The problem is those warheads are designed to render the satellite useless, not cause it to in some way "blow up" and burn the fuel off and hopefully turn big chunks into little chunks that burn on reentry. A contact explosive warhead is needed here.0 -
quote:Originally posted by bobski
uhh...its a spy satellite....it takes pictures. it has data. something is in that target that they want destroyed that never made it back to good ole usa.[B)]Gee, sounds like they should come up with some sort of on-board classified materials destruction system in case something like this happens. I'd bet they could even rig it up where this happens automatically if the correct conditions exist. [;)]0 -
quote:Originally posted by ElMuertoMonkey
The Bush Administration must think we're terminally stupid or something.
"Oh, we're going to shoot it down so that it won't hit any inhabitated areas and kill lots of civilians!"
Yeah, well, that particular concern came about seven years too late, you jackasses.
As buschmaster noted, we're simply upping the ante with China, proving that we too can shoot down our own satellites...
Paint me underwhelmed.
But if it makes you feel any better, it's nice to know that if it ever comes down to a shooting war with China, we will have the capability to blind ourselves good and hard seeing as how the majority of military, GPS, and spy satellites in orbit are ours!
How's that for forward thinking?
why blame president Bush? was he the one that put it in orbit?
he is just concerned about the fuel.0 -
You do realize this will lead to some activist group proclaiming space as a missile/nuclear free zone don't you[?][:D][;)] 0
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