US to try and shoot down Spy Satellite, human lives at risk.

Journeyman

EOG Master
Deputy National Security Adviser James Jeffries, briefing reporters at the Pentagon, did not say when the attempted intercept would be conducted, but the satellite is expected to hit Earth during the first week of March.

"This is all about trying to reduce the danger to human beings," Jeffries said.

Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at the same briefing that the "window of opportunity" for such a shootdown, presumably to be launched from a Navy ship, will open in the next three or four days and last for seven or eight days. He did not say whether the Pentagon has decided on an exact launch date.

Cartwright said this will be an unprecedented effort; he would not say exactly what are the odds of success.

"This is the first time we've used a tactical missile to engage a spacecraft," Cartwright said.

After extensive study and analysis, U.S. officials came to the conclusion that, "we're better off taking the attempt than not," Cartwright said.

He said a Navy missile known as Standard Missile 3 would be fired in an attempt to intercept the satellite just prior to it re-entering Earth's atmosphere. It would be "next to impossible" to hit the satellite after that because of atmospheric disturbances, Cartwright said.

A second goal, he said, is to directly hit the fuel tank in order to minimize the amount of fuel that returns to Earth.

Software associated with the Standard Missile 3 has been modified to enhance the chances of the missile's sensors recognizing that the satellite is its target; he noted that the missile normally is used to shoot down ballistic missiles, not satellites.

"It's a one-time deal," Cartwright said when asked whether the modified Standard Missile 3 should be considered a new U.S. anti-satellite weapon technology.

Cartwright also said that if an initial shootdown attempt fails, a decision will be made whether to take a second shot.

Jeffries said members of Congress were briefed on the plan earlier Thursday and that diplomatic notifications to other countries would be made before the end of the day.

Shooting down a satellite is particularly sensitive because of the controversy surrounding China's anti-satellite test last year, when Beijing shot down one of its defunct weather satellites, drawing immediate criticism from the U.S. and other countries.

A key concern at that time was the debris created by Chinese satellite's destruction ? and that will also be a focus now, as the U.S. determines exactly when and under what circumstances to shoot down its errant satellite.

Asked earlier about reports of the shootdown plan, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said, "We have been looking at ways to mitigate the possible risk to human lives and to demonstrate our continuing commitment to safe and responsible space operations."

The military will have to choose a time and a location that will avoid to the greatest degree any damage to other satellites in the sky. Also, there is the possibility that large pieces could remain, and either stay in orbit where they can collide with other satellites or possibly fall to Earth.

It is not known where the satellite will hit. But officials familiar with the situation say about half of the 5,000-pound spacecraft is expected to survive its blazing descent through the atmosphere and will scatter debris ? some of it potentially hazardous ? over several hundred miles. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

The satellite is outfitted with thrusters ? small engines used to position it in space. They contain the toxic rocket fuel hydrazine, which can cause harm to anyone who contacts it. Officials have said there is about 1,000 pounds of propellent on the satellite.

Known by its military designation US 193, the satellite was launched in December 2006. It lost power and its central computer failed almost immediately afterward, leaving it uncontrollable. It carried a sophisticated and secret imaging sensor.
 

The Devil

EOG Master
Re: US to try and shoot down Spy Satellite, human lives at risk.

NOW IF WE CAN GET CAPTAIN KIRK WE WOULD HAVE A BETTER SHOT AT SUCCESS.........
 
Re: US to try and shoot down Spy Satellite, human lives at risk.

:houra THE SECRET IMAGING DEVICE IT IS REPORTLY CARRYING BELONGS TO THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS-CAPT. KIRK IS ON HIS WAY TO THE PENTEGON-FIRST HE WANTS TO TALK THINGS OVER WITH THE ROCKET MAN-ROGER CLEMONS--SEEMS HIS BOOSTER ROCKETS ARE FAILING ALSO!!!!:houra
 
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dirty

EOG Master
Re: US to try and shoot down Spy Satellite, human lives at risk.

Pentagon Unveils Rogue Spy Sat Shoot-Down Plan

By Noah Shachtman February 14, 2008 | 3:37:41 PMCategories: Space


Sometime in the next 11 days, a Navy cruiser is going to aim a missile just above the atmosphere, and try to take out a malfunctioning spy satellite before it crashes to Earth -- and maybe releases a toxic gas in the process.
Defense Department officials detailed the shootdown operation, in a briefing with reporters Thursday afternoon.
The 5,000-pound National Reconnaissance Office surveillance satellite was pronounced dead just a few hours after it was inserted into orbit, on Dec. 14, 2006. This January, the U.S. military realized that the satellite was beginning its descent down into the atmosphere, Deputy National Security Advisor James Jeffrey noted. Ordinarily, this wouldn't be much cause for concern; objects of this size plummet into the Earth's atmosphere all the time. But this satellite contains a full tank -- over 1,000 pounds' worth -- of the rocket propellant hydrazine. And there's a small but real risk that the tank could rupture, releasing a "toxic gas" over a "populated area," causing a "risk to human life."
The chances of "hitting land or a person as a hunk" are low, added Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Gen. James Cartwright. "What's different here is the hydrazine."
The plan is to fire a modified SM-3 interceptor at the satellite, "just prior to it hitting the Earth's atmosphere," Cartwright said. If the missile connects at that height, the collision would reduce the amount of debris that would be released into space; most of the satellite chunks would likely burn up in the air, within the first 10-15 hours, he noted. And a hit then would likely "slow the satellite down" so we can "put it in the ocean," Gen. Cartwright added. Some space security experts say that idea is "very feasible." Others are extremely skeptical.
Shooting down the satellite earlier might risk other objects in orbit, Gen. Cartwright said. And "once it hits the atmosphere, it breaks apart and becomes very difficult to engage."
The SM-3 missile that's supposed to do the job is at the heart of the most successful component of the American missile-defense program; unlike other, less reliable interceptors, the SM-3 has hit its targets in 11 of its last 13 tests. Two other Aegis cruisers, armed with similar weapons, will be on standby, in case the initial SM-3 fails to fire, or misses its target.
The takedown attempt could come as early as three or four days from now. After that, there will be a window of seven to eight days in which a shot will be possible.
As the AP notes, Cartwright said this will be an unprecedented effort; he would not say exactly what are the odds of success.
"This is the first time we've used a tactical missile to engage a spacecraft," Cartwright said.
After extensive study and analysis, U.S. officials came to the conclusion that, "we're better off taking the attempt than not," Cartwright said...
Software associated with the Standard Missile 3 has been modified to enhance the chances of the missile's sensors recognizing that the satellite is its target; he noted that the missile's designed mission is to shoot down ballistic missiles, not satellites. Other officials said the missile's maximum range, while a classified figure, is not great enough to hit a satellite operating in normal orbits.
"It's a one-time deal," Cartwright said when asked whether the modified Standard Missile 3 should be considered a new U.S. anti-satellite weapon technology.
Gen. Cartwright cast the threat from the satellite in much less dire terms than Jeffrey did. The space shuttle Columbia had a "similar tank" of hydrazine, Gen. Cartwright noted -- one that "survived re-entry." Even if the hydrazine were released, he added, the effects would likely be mild -- akin to chlorine gas poisoning, which can cause burning in the lungs, and elsewhere. The area affected would be "roughly the size of two football fields [where you might] incur something that would make you go to the doctor."
Nevertheless, Gen. Cartwright added, there was enough of a risk to attempt the shot. "The regret factor of not acting clearly outweighed the regret factor of acting," he said.







Pentagon Unveils Rogue Spy Sat Shoot-Down Plan | Danger Room from Wired.com
 

shooterman

EOG Veteran
Re: US to try and shoot down Spy Satellite, human lives at risk.

"The regret factor of not acting clearly outweighed the regret factor of acting," "So you see Louie, I'm gonna have to pay you next week."
 

nedrow

EOG Dedicated
Re: US to try and shoot down Spy Satellite, human lives at risk.

ill book a free 10.00 parley to any eog member hit by satellite, hey iam a nice guy what can i say.
 

dirty

EOG Master
Re: US to try and shoot down Spy Satellite, human lives at risk.

ill book a free 10.00 parley to any eog member hit by satellite, hey iam a nice guy what can i say.


:+textinb3:+textinb3:+textinb3 so thoughtful of ya Nedrow :thumbsup
 

nedrow

EOG Dedicated
Re: US to try and shoot down Spy Satellite, human lives at risk.

we had a dairy queen here and ill never forget haha the sign out front that said, free sunday if hit by sky lab .
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Skylab, a science and engineering laboratory, was launched into Earth orbit by a Saturn V rocket on 14 May 1973. Three crews of 3 men each visited the station, with their missions lasting 28, 59, and 84 days. Circling 50 degrees north and south of the equator at an altitude of 435 km, Skylab had an orbital period of 93 minutes. There were a plethora of UV astronomy experiments done during the Skylab lifetime, as well as detailed X-ray studies of the Sun. Skylab fell from orbit on 11 July 1979.
 

dirty

EOG Master
Re: US to try and shoot down Spy Satellite, human lives at risk.

That is some funny stuff ned
 
Re: US to try and shoot down Spy Satellite, human lives at risk.

There might also be unstated military aims, some outside the administration suggested.
Similar spacecraft re-enter the atmosphere regularly and break up into pieces, said Ivan Oelrich, vice president for strategic security programs at the Federation of American Scientists. He said, "One could be forgiven for asking if this is just an excuse to test an anti-satellite weapon."

Left alone, the satellite would be expected to hit Earth during the first week of March. About half of the 5,000-pound spacecraft would be expected to survive its blazing descent through the atmosphere and would scatter debris over several hundred miles.


A Navy missile known as Standard Missile 3 would be fired at the spy satellite in an attempt to intercept it just before it re-enters Earth's atmosphere. It would be "next to impossible" to hit the satellite after that because of atmospheric disturbances, he said. Known by its military designation US 193, the satellite was launched in December 2006. It lost power and its central computer failed almost immediately afterward, leaving it uncontrollable. It carried a sophisticated and secret imaging sensor.

He said that if an initial shoot-down attempt fails, the military would have about two days to reassess and decide whether to take a second shot.

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.
 
Re: US to try and shoot down Spy Satellite, human lives at risk.

:bank: :houra COULD SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME IF THERE IS A BOOK TAKING WAGERS AS TO WETHER THE SATALITE IS :houra :houra HIT ON THE NAVYS FIRST SHOT-:houra :houra :houra :houra AND MAYBE WHERE THE LARGEST PIECE FALLS-IN THE WATER/ OR ON LAND/AND IF BARRY BONDS CATCHES A PIECE OF IT!!!:houra
 
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Bucsfan67

EOG Master
Re: US to try and shoot down Spy Satellite, human lives at risk.

sounds like the plot to another Bruce Willis movie
 
Re: US to try and shoot down Spy Satellite, human lives at risk.

:+clueless from what sources tell me the NAVY has a great wide reciever who will attempt to snag a piece in mid-air-- I BELIEVE IT IS JUST A BUNCH OF HEISMAN HYPE THOUGH-:cocktail
 
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