It reads like something out of a science fiction movie: The Pentagon and the US Navy on a mission to destroy a rogue satellite falling to earth. Well, it's official and real. The US spy satellite US-193 (also known as L21), originally launched on December 14, 2007, was destroyed
Wednesday February 21, 2008, around 10:29 pm EST by a modified SM-3 missile fired from the Aegis ship USS Lake Erie, which was stationed somewhere in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii.
Originally, the satellite was predicted to hit the earth sometime in early March, unless action was taken to shoot it down. The 5,000 pound satellite which was traveling over 17,000 miles per hour just above the earth's atmosphere, took a direct hit and it looks as though the cause of worry, the 40 inch wide Hydrazine tank aboard the satellite, has been destroyed. During a press conference at the Pentagon as seen on CNN, Marine General James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that "We're very confident that we hit the Satellite. We also have a high degree of confidence that we got the tank." He goes on to explain that they saw a "fireball" and "vapor cloud" which would indicate that the tank with the fuel was hit.
The debris field has apparently already begun to reenter the earth's atmosphere and is being seen over the Atlantic ocean. Cartwright mentions that "thus far, we've see nothing larger than a football [in the debris field]." In a Pentagon Statement in The Wall Street Journal, officials believe that because the satellite was hit while reentering the earth's atmosphere, "nearly all of the debris will burn up on re-entry within 24-48 hours and the remaining debris should re-enter within 40 days." FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) is on alert but not activated as a precaution measure in case any dangerous or sensitive debris lands in the U.S.
Additional Sources:
Navy to Shoot Down Malfunctioning Satellite
U.S. says missile hit spy satellite
U.S. Navy Missile Hits Spy Satellite
US Navy Successfully Destroys Spy Satellite
Date: February 21, 2008Originally, the satellite was predicted to hit the earth sometime in early March, unless action was taken to shoot it down. The 5,000 pound satellite which was traveling over 17,000 miles per hour just above the earth's atmosphere, took a direct hit and it looks as though the cause of worry, the 40 inch wide Hydrazine tank aboard the satellite, has been destroyed. During a press conference at the Pentagon as seen on CNN, Marine General James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that "We're very confident that we hit the Satellite. We also have a high degree of confidence that we got the tank." He goes on to explain that they saw a "fireball" and "vapor cloud" which would indicate that the tank with the fuel was hit.
The debris field has apparently already begun to reenter the earth's atmosphere and is being seen over the Atlantic ocean. Cartwright mentions that "thus far, we've see nothing larger than a football [in the debris field]." In a Pentagon Statement in The Wall Street Journal, officials believe that because the satellite was hit while reentering the earth's atmosphere, "nearly all of the debris will burn up on re-entry within 24-48 hours and the remaining debris should re-enter within 40 days." FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) is on alert but not activated as a precaution measure in case any dangerous or sensitive debris lands in the U.S.
Additional Sources:
Navy to Shoot Down Malfunctioning Satellite
U.S. says missile hit spy satellite
U.S. Navy Missile Hits Spy Satellite
After careful weighing of decisions, President Bush has given orders to the Pentagon to shoot down the disabled spy satellite before its re-entry into the earth's atmosphere scheduled to happen in the first week of March.
By Shan-Lyn Forsythe | Published 2/14/2008 | Read more »
With 'insider information' within the U.S. government of the discovery of an "astronaut" aboard the L21 spy dysfunct satellite, e-mails began pouring into the White House by 'concerned citizens' and other people worldwide.
By Shan-Lyn Forsythe | Published 2/21/2008 | Read more »
In an attempt to possibly protect marine mammals, Earthjustice has sued the US navy in federal court. The lawsuit wants to stop navy sonar warfare exercises, claiming the exercises harm marine mammals.
By Angela Harris | Published 5/17/2007 | Read more »
The U.S. military shot down a crippled spy satellite late Wednesday, February 20, over the Pacific Ocean. Was public safety the only reason, or were there military and diplomatic reasons for the shootdown as well?
By saul relative | Published 2/24/2008 | Read more »
On Feb. 14 & 15, people were informed via public media of a spy satellite being shot down, without being informed of an astronaut on-board.
By Shan-Lyn Forsythe | Published 2/19/2008 | Read more »
Saturday, government officials disclosed to the public that a large disabled U.S. Spy satellite is out of control and could possible threaten Earth by the end of February or early March.
By Irene Lynn | Published 1/27/2008 | Read more »
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- US-193 was originally launched December 14, 2007.
- The Pentagon believes the missle hit the dangerous Hydrzine tank.
- Most of the debris is expected to burn upupon re-entry in the next 24-48 hours.
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