Rough seas in the Pacific may postpone the missile test on Wednesday.
"We don't anticipate the weather being good enough today" - Senior U.S. military official
The US Navy is on standby to fire an SM-3 missile from a ship in order to destroy the wayward spacecraft...Officials expect that over 50% of the debris will fall to Earth within the first 15 hours after the strike - or within its first two revolutions of Earth. Read more
The U.S. Navy may make its first attempt to shoot down an errant spy satellite loaded with toxic fuel overnight on Wednesday in an area of the Pacific Ocean west of Hawaii, according to U.S. officials and government documents. A notice to mariners broadcast by the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency warned of "hazardous operations" in the area between 9:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday and midnight EST on Thursday. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a similar notice to airmen.
The US Navy has set Thursday for its first attempt to shoot down the spy satellite. The attempt will only take place after the shuttle Atlantis has returned back to Earth.
China says it is concerned that U.S. plans to shoot down a malfunctioning spy satellite could undermine the security situation in space. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Liu Jianchao said Sunday that Beijing is closely watching the situation and may take what he called "preventive measures." He did not elaborate. Read more
Military plans to shoot down a damaged U.S. spy satellite carrying toxic fuel will not concern the crew aboard the international space station, commander Peggy Whitson said Saturday. 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. It was unclear how close the satellite will be to the space station when it is shot down. NASA referred questions to the Defence Department, which did not immediately return a message seeking clarification.
Hum, it could be speculated that behind the scenes the Russians, Chinese or various other nations have been very vocal about the satellite; and that as a result of which, orbital information was leaked by the US department of defence (DoD). It would also explain why the missile interception plan was made public. It could be seen as a political snub. As a bonus for the DoD, the interception missile system can be tested: However, we will now see how advanced the interception missile system really is.
Either way, i suspect the `other nations`, nor the DoD, aren't happy.
The Pentagon says it has to shoot down a malfunctioning spy satellite because of the threat of a toxic gas cloud. Space security experts are calling the rationale highly unlikely. Read more
In a week in which Russia and China called for a treaty banning weapons in space, the Pentagon has announced it has orders from President Bush to shoot down a secret spy satellite but the satellite in question is an American vessel, and its being targeted for destruction before it tumbles back to Earth next month and potentially spews a deadly chemical.
Today we've assembled a group from across the government to come in here to explain the course of action that President Bush has selected. You'll hear first from Deputy National Security Adviser James Jeffrey; followed by the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General "Hoss" Cartwright; and NASA Administrator Michael Griffin. Please allow them to finish their statements before chiming in with questions. Read more