Errant Satellite to be Shot Down
Author: Tom
Comments(8)
Comments(8)
We have been hearing about the “spy satellite” that is about to de-orbit and threatens to be partially intact when it re-enters the atmosphere. If the satellite did hit the ground somewhat intact, it could possibly allow secret technology to get into the wrong hands. Of course, for the record the Pentagon says they are concerned about the hydrazine fuel and they are just thinking of our own good. Maybe so, the tank is expected to survive re-entry intact left on its own.
Well now we hear from the Pentagon, the errant satellite is going to be shot down.
The satellite is to be shot down with a missile from a US Navy ship sometime the next week AFTER the shuttle is back on the ground. I’ll post images if they release any.
I would be interested to know what kind of missile the navy will be using. Aside from SLBM’s what missiles does the Navy have that can leave the atmosphere?
And minutes later I found the answer. They will use a “Standard Missile 3.” Here is the article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20080214/sc_space/uswilltrytodestroycrippledsatellite
and here is the description of the standard missile 3:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/sm3.htm
Pretty cool. It is actually a 4 stage rocket.
Good stuff Joe. I hope there is video.
Sorry to disappoint, but I think it is extremely unlikely we will get a video, photos, or even an exact time and date when the satellite is shot down, since I think the government would forbid it on national security grounds. Hopefully I will be proved wrong.
As for the motive for shooting it down, I agree it’s probably just to stop government secrets leaking out but they do have a valid point about the hydrazine – apparently it could cause everyone within the area of a few football fields to start suffocating if it escaped.
I don’t know, I think they might, course all we’d see is a missile being launched and they probably already have that cued up.
Well I suppose you might be able to see it, except that they’re launching it from the middle of the Pacific Ocean, in an undisclosed location.
CNN’s got a nice simple interactive about the missile and how it will work at
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/02/15/spy.satellite/index.html#cnnSTCOther1
I would like to watch this event unfold as well. Thank you
hey i ran across your blog page searching for info on this spy sateelite stuff. you had some great links and we very informative. awesome! thanks from az!