Thu, Feb 21, 2008
Debris Expected To Enter Atmosphere Over Next 40 Days
Score! Just before 2230 EST Wednesday night, a missile fired
from a US Navy ship struck a malfunctioning reconnaissance
satellite in low orbit, in an attempt to prevent the hazardous --
and militarily sensitive -- materials onboard from falling to
Earth.
The USS Lake Erie fired the SM-3 missile at 2226 EST. About one
minute later, the missile struck the bus-sized satellite about 133
nautical miles above the Pacific Ocean, according to a Pentagon
statement.
"A network of land, air, sea and space-based sensors confirms
that the US military intercepted a nonfunctioning National
Reconnaissance Office satellite which was in its final orbits
before entering the earth's atmosphere," read the statement,
according to Reuters. "Confirmation that the fuel tank has been
fragmented should be available within 24 hours.
"Due to the relatively low altitude of the satellite at the time
of the engagement, debris will begin to reenter the earth's
atmosphere immediately," it added. "Nearly all of the debris will
burn up on reentry within 24-48 hours and the remaining debris
should reenter within 40 days."
As ANN reported, military
officials announced last week their plan to shoot down the errant
satellite. The NRO satellite was launched from California just over
one year ago, but stopped responding to commands from earth shortly
after it reached orbit.
Ostensibly, the plan was aimed at protecting those on the ground
from hazardous materials onboard the satellite, including its
nearly-full hydrazine fuel tank... but the plan also gave the
military a chance to test its emerging missile defense
technology.
That opportunity wasn't lost on Russia and China... which each
mildly protested the shootdown plan. The Russian Defense Ministry
expressed concern the operation could be used as cover to test a
new space weapon.
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