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USN missile strikes failed satellite
By Jon Rosamond
20 February 2008
An out-of-control surveillance satellite orbiting above the Pacific Ocean at a speed in excess of 17,000 mph has been intercepted by an SM-3 missile launched by the US Navy Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Lake Erie.
Despite concerns voiced by China and Russia, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates authorised the firing of a single missile in an attempt to destroy a tank of toxic fuel on board the satellite.
The ballistic missile defence weapon, fitted with a kinetic energy warhead and modified specifically for this mission, struck the satellite at an altitude of 133 n miles at 2226 h Eastern Standard Time on 20 February.
The Pentagon said in a statement that the intercept of "a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office [NRO] satellite which was in its final orbits before entering the earth's atmosphere" had been confirmed by a network of land-, air-, sea- and spaced-based sensors.
"The objective was to rupture the fuel tank to dissipate the approximately 1,000 lb [450 kg] of hydrazine, a hazardous fuel which could be harmful, before it entered the earth's atmosphere. Confirmation that the fuel tank has been fragmented should be available within 24 hours," the statement said.
Image: USS Lake Erie launches the SM-3 on 20 February 2008. (US Navy)