Fergie's Tech Blog

U.S. Defends Satellite Shootdown Plans

Bettina H. Chavanne writes on AviationWeek.com:

NASA, DOD and the White House defended their plans for a ballistic-missile take-down of a falling National Reconnaissance Organization (NRO) satellite, speaking to reporters this afternoon and planning to address international organizations in a "diplomatic global roll-out" later in the day.

Aviation Week first reported the shoot-down plans Tuesday on its AviationWeek.com and Aviation Week Intelligence Network websites.

Satellites have de-orbited before, but never with this much associated risk, said U.S. Marine Corps General James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "It's the hydrazine that's the distinguishing characteristic," Cartwright said in a Pentagon briefing. "Our objective was whether we could reduce the risk to space, airborne or terrestrial platforms."

More here.

Note: As Michael Tanji points out over at Haft of the Spear, many of us believe that the only reason the U.S. is going to knock down this dead bird out of the sky is to make a point. -ferg

posted by Fergie @ 2/14/2008 03:25:00 PM