Disabled U.S. spy satellite to fall to Earth

[Guest SKY926657]

An unresponsive United States reconnaissance satellite is in an uncontrolled, decaying orbit and will re-enter Earth's atmosphere in late February or early March.

 

According to Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, "Appropriate government agencies are monitoring the situation."

 

The satellite is out-of-control, and therefore there is no possibility to guide it to re-entry over an ocean or unpopulated area. On the one hand, since most of the earth's surface is water or unpopulated, death or property loss due to any falling fragments, which may result from the satellite entering the atmosphere, is statistically unlikely. On the other hand, it cannot be ruled out entirely. It is currently unclear as to where the satellite will re-enter, and whether any debris will survive atmospheric re-entry. The mass of the satellite is unknown.

 

"Numerous satellites over the years have come out of orbit and fallen harmlessly. We are looking at potential options to mitigate any possible damage this satellite may cause," said Johndroe.

 

Concerns have also been raised that some materials used in the satellite's construction could be hazardous if they reach the ground. The satellite contains quantities of toxic hydrazine fuel, which is used for maneuvering, although this is likely to burn up on re-entry. Some of the optics aboard the satellite may contain beryllium, which is also toxic.

 

As the satellite was part of a classified U.S. military program, no other details, including its name, have been made public. The only such satellite which is publicly known to be out of control is identified by the codenames USA-193 and NRO L-21. It was launched in December 2006, by a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Ground controllers lost contact with the USA-193 satellite shortly after it reached orbit. Amateur observers have been tracking USA-193 for some time, and believe that its orbit is decaying, however it is unclear whether USA-193 is the satellite in question.

 

== Sources ==

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/us/27spy.html

U.S. Spy Satellite, Power Gone, May Hit Earth

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7211443.stm

Satellite could plummet to Earth

[Guest R]

Russia has warned that this shoot down by the United States of its spy satellite is, in fact, a ‘veiled’ test of the US’s secretive space weapons programme and that the Americans have failed to provide to the World sufficient evidence of their claims. China has, likewise, made its concerns known to the US about this space missile test, and is reported to be ‘greatly dismayed’ that the actions of the US War Leaders are a direct defiance to this past weeks Chinese-Russian proposal for the banning of all weapons in space.

 

Russian Military Analysts are stating that this test of their space based missile systems is a ‘necessity’ for the Americans prior to the launching of Total War, of which they state Iran and Syria will be the first target of and to be followed by strikes on Russia and China.

 

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/...ent_7604655.htm

 

China hoped that a draft treaty on preventing an arms race in outer space would receive a positive response from relevant countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Jianchao said on Thursday.

 

Liu made the remarks at a regular press conference. He was responding to a question on the United States' rejection of a call for a new treaty to ban the use of weapons in outer space.

 

Russia and China on Tuesday jointly submitted to a UN-sponsored disarmament conference a proposal for an international treaty to ban the deployment of weapons in outer space.

 

The draft Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force Against Outer Space Objects (PPWT), was presented at a plenary session of the Conference on Disarmament. That is the world's sole multilateral forum for disarmament negotiations, and its function is to prevent the weaponization of, or an arms race in, outer space and to safeguard peace and stability there.

 

Liu said that Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have elaborated on their stances on the issue, and Yang stressed that a new treaty would be conducive to the common interests of all countries.

 

It is necessary for the international community to create a new legal document to strengthen the current legal system concerning outer space, Liu noted.

 

China hoped that the Conference on Disarmament would conduct substantial discussions on the draft treaty as soon as possible and reach a consensus, Liu said.

 

Liu said that such a draft treaty was of positive significance to world peace and stability as well as the peaceful use of outer space.

[Luke_Wilbur]

 

The US has successfully struck down the disabled spy satellite with a missile fired from a warship in waters west of Hawaii, military officials say.

[Luke_Wilbur]

The USS Lake Erie launches a Standard Missile-3 at a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite as it traveled in space at more than 17,000 mph over the Pacific Ocean on Feb. 20, 2008.

Defense Dept.

 

 

[Guest Doug_*]

This event has proven to be a threatening show of power, and a test of the World's reaction to being threatened. Of course it has also served as a test of the war mongers new tools.

 

They have all the money in our pockets to spend, so why wouldn't they test the power of a such an amazing new resource?

 

I hope they receive the response they expected.

[Guest human_*]

The chinese shot down a satellite 537 miles above the earth. America shoots down a satellite 130 miles above the earth so that it wont hit over land, but I'm sure that there is no double standard here.

 

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This event has proven to be a threatening show of power, and a test of the World's reaction to being threatened. Of course it has also served as a test of the war mongers new tools.

 

They have all the money in our pockets to spend, so why wouldn't they test the power of a such an amazing new resource?

 

I hope they receive the response they expected.