Missile Defense Test Is A Bust | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

 Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-06.02.25

Airborne-NextGen-06.03.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.04.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-06.05.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.06.25

Thu, Dec 16, 2004

Missile Defense Test Is A Bust

Interceptor Failed To Launch

The first full-blown test of the missile shield in almost two years fizzled on the pad Wednesday when the interceptor rocket shut itself down just prior to launch. That could spell setback for plans to deploy an early version of the missile defense by the end of the year.

"This is a serious setback for a program that had not attempted a flight intercept test for two years," said Philip Coyle, the Pentagon's chief weapons tester under President Ronald Reagan, in an e-mail exchange with Reuters.

In announcing his plan for a missile defense in 2002, President Bush said a rudimentary version of the system would be operational by the end of this year, even as the military continued its development. But Wednesday morning's "anomaly" automatically shut down the interceptor while it was still in its silo on Kwajalien Atoll in the Pacific.

The last test, in December, 2002, also ended in failure when the 120-pound kill vehicle failed to part from its booster rocket.

FMI: www.acq.osd.mil/mda/mdalink/html/mdalink.html

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (06.02.25): Minimum Friction Level

Minimum Friction Level The friction level specified in AC 150/5320-12, Measurement, Construction, and Maintenance of Skid Resistant Airport Pavement Surfaces, that represents the m>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (06.02.25)

Aero Linx: Airpower Museum The APM owns 30 acres on Antique Airfield, including the south half of the N-S runway. It consists of three hangars, an annex, and a library. The museum >[...]

NTSB Prelim: Champion 7ECA

Patient Told The First Responders That The “Man Who Was In The Plane Was Flying At The Time Of The Accident And Had Overshot The Runway They Were Attempting To Land On.&rdquo>[...]

Classic Klyde Morris (From 06.10.22)

Klyde Just Can't Believe This Has Gotten To This Point... FMI: www.klydemorris.com>[...]

Airborne 05.30.25: Anti-Helicopter Bill, PW Strike Done, All-Electric Bristell

Also: Duffy Wants $$$, KS Airports, Morningside U’s Aviation School, New Airstrip In ID After 6 were killed in a helicopter crash over the Hudson River, several US Representa>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Change Display

Headlines Only | Headlines w/ Teasers | View Everything

Advertisement

Top Videos

Airborne Affordable Flyers 06.05.25: New RV15 Wing, Scalebirds, Waiex-B Honors

Airborne 06.04.25: G100UL Legal Decision, FAA v Starship, Laser Conviction

Airborne 06.02.25: Isaacman UN-Nomination, 28K' Paraglider Flt, Williams Builds

See All

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC