US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

I'm sure that this rogue satellite has been posted before, but I couldn't find it.
If so - sorry

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7245578.stm

This reminded me of the Peru meteor of last year -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7001897.stm

I wonder therefore, if the Peru one was actually a satellite, which they weren't too bothered about. If so, why is this one so important?

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Or it's nuclear powered and they don't want reactor fragmets, coolant and fuel raining down from the upper atmosphere. The old Russian Cosmos RORSats used to eject their reactor cores before (controlled) de-orbit but this wouldn't be an option if the satellite was dead.

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

I hope they don't mistake the rogue one for a good one, we all know what the Americans are like when it comes to identifying friendly and the not so friendly. Sorry but I had to get that one in.

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

From the article
"the likelihood that the satellite upon descent to the Earth's surface could release much of its 1,000lb plus (454 kg) of its hydrazine fuel as a toxic gas..
....If the hydrazine tank did burst, the danger zone would be an area covering the size of two football pitches. He said that blowing the satellite up would disperse the hydrazine harmlessly in space, leaving only small-scale satellite debris to fall harmlessly to Earth."

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Cue further consipiracy theories anyway: secret NSA satellite dies, several people accused of spying for China are arrested.

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Im no genius but I would have though rocket fuel would burn up during re-entry

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Well if the tanks remain intact there must be a chance that some of the fuel will rain down from the upper atmosphere. I'm not convinced that this is their primary motivation for wanting to shoot the thing down though. Since when did the US security apparatus start becoming concerned about the welfare of other human beings?

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

just make sure you don't watch it breaking up, could make you go blind ;) especially if its bright green.

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Evntually there'll be so much space debris in orbit that it'll be the end of space travel.... as launched craft could not penetrate the "shield".

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

BS on the hydrazine, if you're worried about it being that dangerous then don't throw it up there. It's either to show how l33t their anti-satellite capability is to the Chinese or Russians or more probably to make damn sure no bits of satellite end up in those countries.

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Well if you want to watch it before it breaks up, next opportunity will be around the middle to end of next week. Not sure if it's bright green or not (yet ;)). The Lacrosse radar recon sats which must be around the same size as this thing are reddish.

This guy's satobs imaging work is astounding. I wonder if he'll get any footage of USA193 before "The Man" gets him ;)

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/.../lacrosse.html

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Looks like Virgin might get the better of SKY after all :)

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Placing bets that they shoot down the International Space Station :)

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Nah sod it just outsource the destruction of the satelllite to the Chinese.

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Has anyone told Sir Richard, so that he can get on it, and direct it to earth, then we could have VM by satellitte.- he can then do battle with Sky boom,boom.

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Nurse, pass me the stapler - my sides have split....... :)

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Someone been on the vino?

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Given events in Iraq etc. the US forces would have a much better chance of hitting this thing if they'd painted it in 'friendly' colours.

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Shoot down the Sky broadcasting satellites. They are the greatest danger to man for they are slowly steaming viewers brains out instead of encouraging intelligent thought.

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

If you can get them to land on the Daily Mail office, so much the better. Double Top!

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

You been smoking too many triffids?????

Bright green indeed!!!!

Kymmy ;)

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

And funnily enough they're planning to use the AEGIS missile defence variant of the SM3 missile. Ruskiis aren't happy and will no doubt be even less happy if it works.

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Well it worked

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

just a bit amazed that the Yanks used an Aegis for it.... but then saying that they are the most advanced ships they got.

Also afaik the US has anti satelite missiles that it fits on F-15's

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASM-135_ASAT

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Well the variant of the SM3 they used is specifically a ballistic missile defence weapon, not an anti-satellite weapon but USA193 was a prime target being at similar altitudes to a re-entry vehicle/warhead. The F15 based ASAT project was actually cancelled at the end of the 80s (or should I say supposedly cancelled ;) )

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

can anyone explain why my gps isnt workin today please??:erm:

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Some people really can't get over losing Sky One, can they ;)

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

supposedly... there must be some laying around on an airfield in the us ;)

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Just like this missle is supposedly just for shooting down warheads ;)

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Video of the missile getting shot down.
http://gizmodo.com/359031/video-of-s...?autoplay=true

Re: US plans to shoot down Satellite
 

Problem is that there aren't many F-15s around at the moment, they've been grounded as they have developed a tendency to fall apart in flight