WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2008 – Based on debris analysis, officials are confident the Feb. 21 missile intercept and destruction of a nonfunctioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite was successful in destroying the fuel tank and reducing risk to people on Earth, the Defense Department announced today.
The satellite’s fuel tank contained hydrazine, a hazardous chemical that could have posed a risk to humans if the satellite or its fuel tank had reentered the atmosphere intact.
"By all accounts, this was a successful mission. From the debris analysis, we have a high degree of confidence the satellite's fuel tank was destroyed and the hydrazine has been dissipated," Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a DoD news release.
A single modified tactical Standard Missile-3 was fired from the USS Lake Erie to engage the satellite. Much of the debris from the satellite already has reentered the Earth’s atmosphere or will reenter in the coming days and weeks, officials said. The Joint Functional Component Command for Space at the Joint Space Operations Center, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., is tracking less than 3,000 pieces of debris, all smaller than a football, which have not yet reentered the atmosphere. To date, there have been no reports of debris landing on Earth, and it is unlikely any will remain intact to hit the ground, officials said.
Cartwright praised the collaborative effort from the U.S. government, armed forces, industry and academia to destroy the satellite and reduce risk to human life.
"The teamwork and interagency accomplishment associated with this operation was tremendous,” he said. “Close workings with the National Security Council, State Department, Defense Department, NASA, Missile Defense Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, and Department of Homeland Security was absolutely key to the effort. The U.S. Navy, particularly the Pacific Fleet, was fundamental to the operation and did a superb job. The expertise of people from the U.S. Strategic Command, Air Force Space Command and Army Strategic Command was invaluable."
U.S. Strategic Command space surveillance sensors continue to track and characterize the debris to ensure timely notifications are made, if necessary, with regard to debris-related risk on the ground or to objects in orbit, officials said.
Showing posts with label NROL 21. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NROL 21. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Satellite Debris Analysis Indicates Hydrazine Tank Hit
The Department of Defense announced Feb. 25 that based on debris analysis, officials are confident the missile intercept and destruction of a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite, achieved the objective of destroying the hydrazine tank and reducing, if not eliminating, the risk from the hazardous chemical.
"By all accounts this was a successful mission. From the debris analysis, we have a high degree of confidence the satellite's fuel tank was destroyed and the hydrazine has been dissipated," said Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"The successful satellite engagement was truly a collaborative effort from across the U.S. government, the armed forces, industry and academia working together to reduce the risk to human life," said Cartwright.
"The teamwork and interagency accomplishment associated with this operation was tremendous," said Cartwright. "Close workings with the National Security Council, State Department, Defense Department, NASA, Missile Defense Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, and Department of Homeland Security was absolutely key to the effort. The U.S. Navy, particularly the Pacific Fleet, was fundamental to the operation and did a superb job. The expertise of people from the U.S. Strategic Command, Air Force Space Command and Army Strategic Command was invaluable."
A single modified tactical Standard Missile-3, fired from the USS Lake Erie (CG 70) was used to engage the satellite. The remaining two modified missiles will be configured back to their original status as tactical missiles and the operational computer software programs aboard the Aegis ships will be reinstalled.
The Joint Functional Component Command for Space Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., is tracking less than 3,000 pieces of debris, all smaller than a football. The vast majority of debris has already reentered or will shortly reenter the Earth's atmosphere in the coming days and weeks. To date, there have been no reports of debris landing on Earth and it is unlikely any will remain intact to impact the ground.
U.S. Strategic Command space surveillance sensors continue to track and characterize the debris to ensure timely notifications are made, if necessary, with regards to ground or on-orbit debris-related risk.
"By all accounts this was a successful mission. From the debris analysis, we have a high degree of confidence the satellite's fuel tank was destroyed and the hydrazine has been dissipated," said Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"The successful satellite engagement was truly a collaborative effort from across the U.S. government, the armed forces, industry and academia working together to reduce the risk to human life," said Cartwright.
"The teamwork and interagency accomplishment associated with this operation was tremendous," said Cartwright. "Close workings with the National Security Council, State Department, Defense Department, NASA, Missile Defense Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, and Department of Homeland Security was absolutely key to the effort. The U.S. Navy, particularly the Pacific Fleet, was fundamental to the operation and did a superb job. The expertise of people from the U.S. Strategic Command, Air Force Space Command and Army Strategic Command was invaluable."
A single modified tactical Standard Missile-3, fired from the USS Lake Erie (CG 70) was used to engage the satellite. The remaining two modified missiles will be configured back to their original status as tactical missiles and the operational computer software programs aboard the Aegis ships will be reinstalled.
The Joint Functional Component Command for Space Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., is tracking less than 3,000 pieces of debris, all smaller than a football. The vast majority of debris has already reentered or will shortly reenter the Earth's atmosphere in the coming days and weeks. To date, there have been no reports of debris landing on Earth and it is unlikely any will remain intact to impact the ground.
U.S. Strategic Command space surveillance sensors continue to track and characterize the debris to ensure timely notifications are made, if necessary, with regards to ground or on-orbit debris-related risk.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Lake Erie Crew Describes Satellite Shot
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
U.S. Navy Capt. Randall M. Hendrickson, commanding officer of the USS Lake Erie, describes the successful launch of a Standard Missile-3 at a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite as it traveled in space at more than 17,000 mph over the Pacific Ocean, (Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley)
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii, Feb. 24, 2008 – The crewmembers of the USS Lake Erie were calm as they fired the latest shot heard round the world. The Aegis-class cruiser fired the missile that destroyed a dead spy satellite that posed a threat to humans Feb 21.
Navy Capt. Randall M. Hendrickson, the Lake Erie’s commanding officer, spoke to reporters today aboard the ship, which has just returned from the mission. The visiting reporters are traveling with Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who visited the ship.
The captain said the crew worked intensively for a month and a half before the shootdown. “We kept working up with a team of government experts and technicians, as well as industry partners,” Hendrickson said.
The group worked to gather information and modify the Standard Missile 3 and the Aegis weapon system, he said. They started tracking the satellite at different times to get radar cross-section data, which helped build the program software, Hendrickson said.
“Obviously there was a lot of anticipation building up each time we practiced, each time we tracked,” he said.
The ship’s weapons systems officer, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Drew Bates, said the rehearsals really helped when push came to shove. “By the time we did this, we had seen it a hundred times,” he said. “We were practicing what to do in case things go wrong. Fortunately nothing went wrong. This went just the way it was designed to happen, and hats off to the industry team for giving the nation a system that was able to have the excess capability to do this.”
The satellite was unlike any target the system was designed to go after, the captain said. The satellite was in orbit rather than on a ballistic trajectory. Also, the satellite was traveling at incredible speeds.
The Lake Erie left here the day officials announced President Bush’s decision to try to shoot down the satellite. Hendrickson said the ship was in position when the shuttle Atlantis returned from its mission.
The ship received the order that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates had OK’d the mission at mid-morning on Feb. 21. “From that point on, the ship was very calm,” Hendrickson said. “Obviously, the closer we got, there was a lot of anticipation. The firing team was very calm when we did it and, with the exception of the ‘whoosh’ when it went out of the launcher, it was just as scripted.”
He said that when the missile’s seeker opened its eyes it had the satellite “right dead center.”
When the missile hit the satellite, “there was a lot of cheering” aboard the ship, he said.
The crew knew from the kinetic warhead imagery in the nose of the missile that it was a good hit, the captain said.
“The radar scope went wild,” he said. “At that point, there was a lot of debris, a lot of pieces and, at that point, we thought we had a pretty good impact. Then that was confirmed by the aircraft that were airborne, the radars ashore and some other sensors that it was pretty much obliterated. Over the next three to four hours, a lot of it was burning up as it was coming down, which was the whole point of it.”
Civilian experts from the Navy facility in Dahlgren, Va., and contractors from Lockheed Martin and from Raytheon Co. helped the crew prepare for the shot. But Navy sailors manned the consoles for the mission.
Everyone on the USS Lake Erie contributed, the captain said. “Whatever the task is, there’s no small task on a ship,” he said.
The reaction of the crew is unbelievable, said Command Master Chief Petty Officer Mack Ellis, the highest-ranking enlisted sailor on the Lake Erie. “Even the youngest sailor who didn’t understand it at first, every time they walk somewhere and people know they are from Lake Erie, they say congratulations. It puts a smile of their face and makes their day.”
U.S. Navy Capt. Randall M. Hendrickson, commanding officer of the USS Lake Erie, describes the successful launch of a Standard Missile-3 at a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite as it traveled in space at more than 17,000 mph over the Pacific Ocean, (Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley) PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii, Feb. 24, 2008 – The crewmembers of the USS Lake Erie were calm as they fired the latest shot heard round the world. The Aegis-class cruiser fired the missile that destroyed a dead spy satellite that posed a threat to humans Feb 21.
Navy Capt. Randall M. Hendrickson, the Lake Erie’s commanding officer, spoke to reporters today aboard the ship, which has just returned from the mission. The visiting reporters are traveling with Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who visited the ship.
The captain said the crew worked intensively for a month and a half before the shootdown. “We kept working up with a team of government experts and technicians, as well as industry partners,” Hendrickson said.
The group worked to gather information and modify the Standard Missile 3 and the Aegis weapon system, he said. They started tracking the satellite at different times to get radar cross-section data, which helped build the program software, Hendrickson said.
“Obviously there was a lot of anticipation building up each time we practiced, each time we tracked,” he said.
The ship’s weapons systems officer, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Drew Bates, said the rehearsals really helped when push came to shove. “By the time we did this, we had seen it a hundred times,” he said. “We were practicing what to do in case things go wrong. Fortunately nothing went wrong. This went just the way it was designed to happen, and hats off to the industry team for giving the nation a system that was able to have the excess capability to do this.”
The satellite was unlike any target the system was designed to go after, the captain said. The satellite was in orbit rather than on a ballistic trajectory. Also, the satellite was traveling at incredible speeds.
The Lake Erie left here the day officials announced President Bush’s decision to try to shoot down the satellite. Hendrickson said the ship was in position when the shuttle Atlantis returned from its mission.
The ship received the order that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates had OK’d the mission at mid-morning on Feb. 21. “From that point on, the ship was very calm,” Hendrickson said. “Obviously, the closer we got, there was a lot of anticipation. The firing team was very calm when we did it and, with the exception of the ‘whoosh’ when it went out of the launcher, it was just as scripted.”
He said that when the missile’s seeker opened its eyes it had the satellite “right dead center.”
When the missile hit the satellite, “there was a lot of cheering” aboard the ship, he said.
The crew knew from the kinetic warhead imagery in the nose of the missile that it was a good hit, the captain said.
“The radar scope went wild,” he said. “At that point, there was a lot of debris, a lot of pieces and, at that point, we thought we had a pretty good impact. Then that was confirmed by the aircraft that were airborne, the radars ashore and some other sensors that it was pretty much obliterated. Over the next three to four hours, a lot of it was burning up as it was coming down, which was the whole point of it.”
Civilian experts from the Navy facility in Dahlgren, Va., and contractors from Lockheed Martin and from Raytheon Co. helped the crew prepare for the shot. But Navy sailors manned the consoles for the mission.
Everyone on the USS Lake Erie contributed, the captain said. “Whatever the task is, there’s no small task on a ship,” he said.
The reaction of the crew is unbelievable, said Command Master Chief Petty Officer Mack Ellis, the highest-ranking enlisted sailor on the Lake Erie. “Even the youngest sailor who didn’t understand it at first, every time they walk somewhere and people know they are from Lake Erie, they say congratulations. It puts a smile of their face and makes their day.”
Friday, February 22, 2008
Transparency of Satellite Shootdown Offers Model
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii, Feb. 21, 2008 - The way the United States handled the shootdown of a dead reconnaissance satellite last night offers a model of the transparency it encourages other countries more secretive about their military operations to adopt, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command said today.
Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating pointed to the huge difference between last night's mission, aimed at destroying a satellite hurtling toward Earth, and the secret anti-satellite weapons test the Chinese conducted in January 2007.
"We've told people what we're going to do; we've told them how we're going to do it, and it's very open," Keating said.
The rationale behind the two missions was distinctly different, as well. President Bush decided to shoot down the satellite to preclude a danger to humans from hydrazine, a toxic fuel that would have been used to steer the satellite had it worked. The Chinese test, in contrast, was designed to test an anti-satellite weapon.
To carry out its mission, the U.S. fired a modified Standard Missile 3. The Chinese, in contrast, fired a specially designed anti-satellite weapon.
Keating told reporters he hopes the Chinese will learn from the U.S. model. "We would hope that they can see how to do an operation like this, emphasizing the transparency, emphasizing clear intentions, realizing --that while we don't have press embedded on the ship -- everybody knows what's going on," he said. "The Chinese did not do that when they launched their anti-satellite test. We hope there are some lessons that become apparent to them."
U.S. defense officials have long encouraged China and other nations around the world to be more transparent about their military operations. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates encouraged more openness during his visit to China in November.
Keating visited China in January in an effort to bolster the two countries' military relationship and promote improved communication. He told Pentagon reporters in November that solid communication between the United States and China will help reduce the potential for misunderstanding. This will leave "less room for confusion that could lead to confrontation, to crisis," he said.
"That's our goal," he said. "To get there, we reduce the chance for misunderstanding."
American Forces Press Service
CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii, Feb. 21, 2008 - The way the United States handled the shootdown of a dead reconnaissance satellite last night offers a model of the transparency it encourages other countries more secretive about their military operations to adopt, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command said today.
Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating pointed to the huge difference between last night's mission, aimed at destroying a satellite hurtling toward Earth, and the secret anti-satellite weapons test the Chinese conducted in January 2007.
"We've told people what we're going to do; we've told them how we're going to do it, and it's very open," Keating said.
The rationale behind the two missions was distinctly different, as well. President Bush decided to shoot down the satellite to preclude a danger to humans from hydrazine, a toxic fuel that would have been used to steer the satellite had it worked. The Chinese test, in contrast, was designed to test an anti-satellite weapon.
To carry out its mission, the U.S. fired a modified Standard Missile 3. The Chinese, in contrast, fired a specially designed anti-satellite weapon.
Keating told reporters he hopes the Chinese will learn from the U.S. model. "We would hope that they can see how to do an operation like this, emphasizing the transparency, emphasizing clear intentions, realizing --that while we don't have press embedded on the ship -- everybody knows what's going on," he said. "The Chinese did not do that when they launched their anti-satellite test. We hope there are some lessons that become apparent to them."
U.S. defense officials have long encouraged China and other nations around the world to be more transparent about their military operations. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates encouraged more openness during his visit to China in November.
Keating visited China in January in an effort to bolster the two countries' military relationship and promote improved communication. He told Pentagon reporters in November that solid communication between the United States and China will help reduce the potential for misunderstanding. This will leave "less room for confusion that could lead to confrontation, to crisis," he said.
"That's our goal," he said. "To get there, we reduce the chance for misunderstanding."
Thursday, February 21, 2008
DoD on USA 193 debris watch
If you want a popup media player click here Gen Cartwright/Satellite Debris
Navy Missile Likely Hit Fuel Tank on Disabled Satellite
By Gerry J. Gilmore, American Forces Press Service
The USS Lake Erie launches a Standard Missile-3 at a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite as it traveled in space at more than 17,000 mph over the Pacific Ocean on Feb. 20, 2008. (Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Navy)
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2008 - The missile fired from a U.S. Navy ship in the Pacific Ocean that hit a malfunctioning U.S. reconnaissance satellite late yesterday likely accomplished its goal of destroying the satellite's toxic fuel tank, a senior U.S. military officer said here today.
Preliminary reports indicate the SM-3 missile struck its primary target, which was a tank full of toxic hydrazine rocket fuel carried aboard the 5,000-pound satellite, Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at a Pentagon news conference.
"The intercept occurred. ... We're very confident that we hit the satellite," Cartwright said. "We also have a high degree of confidence that we got the tank."
Video shown to reporters depicts the satellite exploding at the point of contact with the missile. Cartwright said the visible fireball and the vapor cloud or plume around it suggest that the fuel tank was hit and the hydrazine had burned up.
"The high-definition imagery that we have indicates that we hit the spacecraft right in the area of the tank," Cartwright said.
However, he added, it probably would take another 24 to 48 hours of sifting through data "to get to a point where we are very comfortable with our analysis that we indeed breached the tank."
Radar sweeps of the satellite's debris field thus far show that no parts larger than a football survived the strike, Cartwright said. Post-strike surveillance shows satellite debris falling into the atmosphere above the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, he said. Small remnants are likely to burn up in the atmosphere, never making it to the Earth's surface.
The U.S. State Department has provided updates on the situation to its embassies around the world, Cartwright noted. There are no reports of debris reaching the Earth, he said, adding that consequence-management crews are on standby to respond to such a circumstance, if required.
The SM-3 missile was launched by the USS Lake Erie, positioned northwest of Hawaii, at 10:26 p.m. EST yesterday, Cartwright said. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who is on an overseas trip, gave the go-ahead to fire, Cartwright said.
The missile intercepted the satellite about 153 nautical miles above the Earth, just before it began to enter the atmosphere, Cartwright said. Joint Space Operations Center technicians at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif, confirmed the satalitte's breakup about 24 minutes later.
The National Reconnaissance Office-managed satellite malfunctioned soon after it was launched in 2006, making it unresponsive to ground control. The satellite, orbiting Earth every 90 minutes or so, was expected to fall to Earth in February or March with its tank of hydrazine intact, possibly endangering human populations.
President Bush directed the Defense Department to engage the satellite just before it entered the atmosphere. U.S. officials decided to shoot down the satellite because of the danger posed by the hazardous hydrazine, Cartwright explained, noting the goal was for the missile to hit and rupture the tank of rocket fuel, causing the hydrazine to burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere, along with debris from the stricken satellite.
"So, you can imagine at the point of intercept last night there were a few cheers from people who have spent many days working on this project," Cartwright said.
The USS Lake Erie launches a Standard Missile-3 at a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite as it traveled in space at more than 17,000 mph over the Pacific Ocean on Feb. 20, 2008. (Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Navy)WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2008 - The missile fired from a U.S. Navy ship in the Pacific Ocean that hit a malfunctioning U.S. reconnaissance satellite late yesterday likely accomplished its goal of destroying the satellite's toxic fuel tank, a senior U.S. military officer said here today.
Preliminary reports indicate the SM-3 missile struck its primary target, which was a tank full of toxic hydrazine rocket fuel carried aboard the 5,000-pound satellite, Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at a Pentagon news conference.
"The intercept occurred. ... We're very confident that we hit the satellite," Cartwright said. "We also have a high degree of confidence that we got the tank."
Video shown to reporters depicts the satellite exploding at the point of contact with the missile. Cartwright said the visible fireball and the vapor cloud or plume around it suggest that the fuel tank was hit and the hydrazine had burned up.
"The high-definition imagery that we have indicates that we hit the spacecraft right in the area of the tank," Cartwright said.
However, he added, it probably would take another 24 to 48 hours of sifting through data "to get to a point where we are very comfortable with our analysis that we indeed breached the tank."
Radar sweeps of the satellite's debris field thus far show that no parts larger than a football survived the strike, Cartwright said. Post-strike surveillance shows satellite debris falling into the atmosphere above the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, he said. Small remnants are likely to burn up in the atmosphere, never making it to the Earth's surface.
The U.S. State Department has provided updates on the situation to its embassies around the world, Cartwright noted. There are no reports of debris reaching the Earth, he said, adding that consequence-management crews are on standby to respond to such a circumstance, if required.
The SM-3 missile was launched by the USS Lake Erie, positioned northwest of Hawaii, at 10:26 p.m. EST yesterday, Cartwright said. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who is on an overseas trip, gave the go-ahead to fire, Cartwright said.
The missile intercepted the satellite about 153 nautical miles above the Earth, just before it began to enter the atmosphere, Cartwright said. Joint Space Operations Center technicians at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif, confirmed the satalitte's breakup about 24 minutes later.
The National Reconnaissance Office-managed satellite malfunctioned soon after it was launched in 2006, making it unresponsive to ground control. The satellite, orbiting Earth every 90 minutes or so, was expected to fall to Earth in February or March with its tank of hydrazine intact, possibly endangering human populations.
President Bush directed the Defense Department to engage the satellite just before it entered the atmosphere. U.S. officials decided to shoot down the satellite because of the danger posed by the hazardous hydrazine, Cartwright explained, noting the goal was for the missile to hit and rupture the tank of rocket fuel, causing the hydrazine to burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere, along with debris from the stricken satellite.
"So, you can imagine at the point of intercept last night there were a few cheers from people who have spent many days working on this project," Cartwright said.
DoD Video of the USA 193 Shoot Down
Here is gun sight video from the Navy of the shoot down last night of the NRO spy satellite USA 193. (Video courtesy of DoD).
If you prefer a popup media player click on this link
Missile Intercept
Pentagon Briefing on the USA 193 Shoot Down
Gen James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provides further information related to the successful operation intercepting a non-functioning satellite.
You can click on the player above or the link below to watch video and audio of a Pentagon Briefing held this morning at 7:00 am EST by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright on the US Navy shoot down of NROL-21/USA 193. USA 193 was a new generation NRO Radar imaging satellite that was launched in December 2006 and failed within a few hours of its launch from the Western Test Range.
You can get a written transcript of the presser above at http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=4151
Gates Pleased by Mission's Success
By Fred W. Baker III, American Forces Press Service
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright (left), and Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England follow the progress of a Standard Missile-3 as it races toward a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite in space over the Pacific Ocean on Feb. 20, 2008. (Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump)
HONOLULU, Feb. 21, 2008 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates was pleased when he learned a U.S. Navy missile hit the crippled spy satellite that was falling out of orbit and threatening to spill its toxic rocket fuel upon re-entry.
Defense officials could not immediately confirm that the fuel tank had been hit, and said they hope to know for sure by late tonight.
At 5:35 p.m. in Hawaii (10:35 p.m. EST), Gates received a call from Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright and U.S. Strategic Command Commander Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton delivering the news that the mission was a success, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.
“The secretary was obviously very pleased to learn that, and he congratulated General Cartwright and General Chilton, as well as their teams, on a job well done,” Morrell said.
At about 1:40 p.m. EST yesterday, while en route to Hawaii from Washington, Gates held a conference call with the two generals and was told the conditions were “ripe” for an attempt. That is when the secretary gave the go-ahead for the Navy to take the shot, and he wished them luck in their attempt, Morrell said.
At about 10:26 p.m. EST, a U.S. Navy Aegis warship, the USS Lake Erie, fired a single modified tactical Standard Missile 3, hitting the satellite about 133 nautical miles over the Pacific Ocean as it traveled in space at more than 17,000 mph, according to a Defense Department statement.
The objective was to rupture the fuel tank to dissipate the roughly 1,000 pounds of hydrazine, a hazardous fuel that could pose a danger to people on Earth.
“The secretary, like all of us, is standing by to learn more how successful the intercept was,” Morrell said. “After all, the goal here was not just to hit the satellite. The goal here was to hit and destroy the fuel tank to eliminate it as potential danger to those of us here on Earth.”
Because of the relatively low altitude of the satellite at the time of the engagement, debris would have started re-entering the earth's atmosphere immediately, officials said, and nearly all of the debris will burn up on re-entry within two days.
Should any large pieces of the satellite’s debris make it to Earth, special teams are on alert and positioned within the U.S. Pacific Command, Navy. Adm. Timothy J. Keating, PACOM commander, told reporters traveling with the secretary shortly after Gates landed here.
“(The teams are there) to lend assistance should parts of the satellite survive the missile impact and hit,” he said. “We don’t think the hydrazine container is going to hit. That’s why we’re shooting at it. But if it does, we’re prepared to assist with specially trained teams that are on alert at various places throughout our area of responsibility.”
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Navy Adm. Mike Mullen also spoke to reporters here and said the shoot-down does not threaten any country and is not a new space race with any country.
"What we've tried to do from the beginning was be as open as possible about the intention," the chairman said during a news conference at Hickam Air Force Base. "We are taking the shot at what we hope will be an altitude that will minimize the amount of space debris that will occur. We've engaged governments throughout the world to tell them what our intentions are. We have been very transparent, very open in that regard."
The admiral made a point that the Navy's Standard Missile 3 had to be modified to fly the mission at all, and that it would be used only in this kind of emergency response to similar potential dangers.
Gates stopped in Hawaii on the first leg of a nine-day trip around the world aimed at reinforcing relationships with some countries he has yet to visit as defense secretary. In addition to U.S. Pacific Command here, the secretary will participate in annual bilateral talks with Australia, and discuss security matters with his counterparts in Indonesia, India and Turkey.
(Jim Garamone of American Forces Press Service contributed to this story.)
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James E. Cartwright, U.S. Marine Corps, informs Secretary of Defense Robert Gates of the successful missile intercept from the Pentagon’s National Military Command Center on Feb. 20, 2008. The USS Lake Erie (CG 70) launched the missile at the satellite as it orbited in space at more than 17,000 mph over the Pacific. The objective was to rupture the satellite’s fuel tank to dissipate the approximately 1,000 pounds (453 kg) of hydrazine, a hazardous fuel which could pose a danger to people on earth, before it entered into earth's atmosphere. (DoD photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump)
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright (left), and Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England follow the progress of a Standard Missile-3 as it races toward a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite in space over the Pacific Ocean on Feb. 20, 2008. (Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump)HONOLULU, Feb. 21, 2008 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates was pleased when he learned a U.S. Navy missile hit the crippled spy satellite that was falling out of orbit and threatening to spill its toxic rocket fuel upon re-entry.
Defense officials could not immediately confirm that the fuel tank had been hit, and said they hope to know for sure by late tonight.
At 5:35 p.m. in Hawaii (10:35 p.m. EST), Gates received a call from Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright and U.S. Strategic Command Commander Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton delivering the news that the mission was a success, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.
“The secretary was obviously very pleased to learn that, and he congratulated General Cartwright and General Chilton, as well as their teams, on a job well done,” Morrell said.
At about 1:40 p.m. EST yesterday, while en route to Hawaii from Washington, Gates held a conference call with the two generals and was told the conditions were “ripe” for an attempt. That is when the secretary gave the go-ahead for the Navy to take the shot, and he wished them luck in their attempt, Morrell said.
At about 10:26 p.m. EST, a U.S. Navy Aegis warship, the USS Lake Erie, fired a single modified tactical Standard Missile 3, hitting the satellite about 133 nautical miles over the Pacific Ocean as it traveled in space at more than 17,000 mph, according to a Defense Department statement.
The objective was to rupture the fuel tank to dissipate the roughly 1,000 pounds of hydrazine, a hazardous fuel that could pose a danger to people on Earth.
“The secretary, like all of us, is standing by to learn more how successful the intercept was,” Morrell said. “After all, the goal here was not just to hit the satellite. The goal here was to hit and destroy the fuel tank to eliminate it as potential danger to those of us here on Earth.”
Because of the relatively low altitude of the satellite at the time of the engagement, debris would have started re-entering the earth's atmosphere immediately, officials said, and nearly all of the debris will burn up on re-entry within two days.
Should any large pieces of the satellite’s debris make it to Earth, special teams are on alert and positioned within the U.S. Pacific Command, Navy. Adm. Timothy J. Keating, PACOM commander, told reporters traveling with the secretary shortly after Gates landed here.
“(The teams are there) to lend assistance should parts of the satellite survive the missile impact and hit,” he said. “We don’t think the hydrazine container is going to hit. That’s why we’re shooting at it. But if it does, we’re prepared to assist with specially trained teams that are on alert at various places throughout our area of responsibility.”
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Navy Adm. Mike Mullen also spoke to reporters here and said the shoot-down does not threaten any country and is not a new space race with any country.
"What we've tried to do from the beginning was be as open as possible about the intention," the chairman said during a news conference at Hickam Air Force Base. "We are taking the shot at what we hope will be an altitude that will minimize the amount of space debris that will occur. We've engaged governments throughout the world to tell them what our intentions are. We have been very transparent, very open in that regard."
The admiral made a point that the Navy's Standard Missile 3 had to be modified to fly the mission at all, and that it would be used only in this kind of emergency response to similar potential dangers.
Gates stopped in Hawaii on the first leg of a nine-day trip around the world aimed at reinforcing relationships with some countries he has yet to visit as defense secretary. In addition to U.S. Pacific Command here, the secretary will participate in annual bilateral talks with Australia, and discuss security matters with his counterparts in Indonesia, India and Turkey.
(Jim Garamone of American Forces Press Service contributed to this story.)
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James E. Cartwright, U.S. Marine Corps, informs Secretary of Defense Robert Gates of the successful missile intercept from the Pentagon’s National Military Command Center on Feb. 20, 2008. The USS Lake Erie (CG 70) launched the missile at the satellite as it orbited in space at more than 17,000 mph over the Pacific. The objective was to rupture the satellite’s fuel tank to dissipate the approximately 1,000 pounds (453 kg) of hydrazine, a hazardous fuel which could pose a danger to people on earth, before it entered into earth's atmosphere. (DoD photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump)
Possible USA 193 Debris Observed at Prince George BC
Via Eric Briggs and the SEESAT-L newsgroup - A message posted on the mailing list of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada says in part:
"at approx. 19:43 PDT while observing the lunar eclipse at the PGAO (53 45' 29" N 122 50' 56" W) a group of >about 30 people, PG Centre members and public, witnessed what we assume was the demise of the spy satellite USA 193.
"Many debris trails were witnessed moving from south-west to north-east at high altitude. One was especially >bright and long lasting. I can recall about 6 bright trails and 15 fainter ones.
"The debris trails seemed to come in "waves" with the first wave being brighter than the debris that followed >behind it. The trails seemed to be in a fan shape with the trails being wider apart in the north-east than they >were in the south-est."
Brian Battersby, Prince George Centre RASC
"at approx. 19:43 PDT while observing the lunar eclipse at the PGAO (53 45' 29" N 122 50' 56" W) a group of >about 30 people, PG Centre members and public, witnessed what we assume was the demise of the spy satellite USA 193.
"Many debris trails were witnessed moving from south-west to north-east at high altitude. One was especially >bright and long lasting. I can recall about 6 bright trails and 15 fainter ones.
"The debris trails seemed to come in "waves" with the first wave being brighter than the debris that followed >behind it. The trails seemed to be in a fan shape with the trails being wider apart in the north-east than they >were in the south-est."
Brian Battersby, Prince George Centre RASC
Navy Succeeds In Intercepting Non-Functioning Satellite
Fire Controlman 2nd Class Andrew Jackson, a native of Ray Town, Mo., launches a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) from the Combat Information Center aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70). (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Hight)A network of land-, air-, sea- and spaced-based sensors confirms that the U.S. military intercepted a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite which was in its final orbits before entering the earth's atmosphere.
At approximately 10:26 p.m. EST, Feb. 20, a U.S. Navy AEGIS warship, USS Lake Erie (CG-70), fired a single modified tactical Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) hitting the satellite approximately 133 nautical miles over the Pacific Ocean as it traveled in space at more than 17,000 mph. USS Decatur (DDG-73) and USS Russell (DDG-59) were also part of the task force.
At a single modified tactical Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) launches from the U.S. Navy AEGIS cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70), successfully impacting a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite approximately 247 kilometers (133 nautical miles) over the Pacific Ocean, as it traveled in space at more than 17,000 mph. (U.S. Navy photo)The objective was to rupture the fuel tank to dissipate the approximately 1,000 pounds of hydrazine, a hazardous fuel which could be harmful, before it entered into earth's atmosphere. Confirmation that the fuel tank has been fragmented should be available within 24 hours.
Due to the relatively low altitude of the satellite at the time of the engagement, debris will begin to re-enter the earth's atmosphere immediately. Nearly all of the debris will burn up on reentry within 24-48 hours and the remaining debris should re-enter within 40 days.
DoD will conduct a press briefing at 7 a.m. EST to provide further information related to the operation. The briefing can be viewed live on www.Defenselink.com through the Pentagon Channel.
At a single modified tactical Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) launches from the U.S. Navy AEGIS cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70), successfully impacting a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Pentagon Opens Window of Time to Shoot Down Satellite
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2008 – The Pentagon has opened the window of time in which it will shoot down a malfunctioning U.S. reconnaissance satellite, a senior U.S. military officer said here today.
Today’s return of the space shuttle Atlantis to Earth prompted the start of the optimal time period for shooting down the satellite, which extends until about the end of the month, the senior officer told Pentagon reporters.
Only “tens of seconds” will be available each day for a favorable launch of a ship-based SM-3 interceptor missile, the senior officer said. “The window is small, … but we’re looking for the best orientation of the satellite” before launching the missile, the officer explained.
The 5,000-pound satellite malfunctioned soon after it was launched in 2006, making it unresponsive to ground control. It is carrying a tank full of hydrazine, a toxic rocket fuel. The satellite, orbiting every 90 minutes or so, was expected to fall to Earth in February or March with its tank of hydrazine intact, possibly endangering human populations.
President Bush directed the Defense Department to engage the satellite just before it enters the atmosphere at about 150 miles above the Earth. The goal is for the missile to hit and rupture the tank of rocket fuel, causing the hydrazine to burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere, along with debris from the stricken satellite.
About 50 percent of debris produced by the missile strike is expected to burn up during the stricken satellite’s first two orbits after being hit, the senior military officer said, with the rest burning up shortly after.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is to give the order to launch, based upon commanders’ recommendations, the senior officer said. Gates will be advised as to the optimal time to launch by the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, based at Offutt Air Force Base, in Omaha, Neb.
All space sensor and missile-tracking activity related to the missile launch is being coordinated by the Joint Space Operations Center, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Sensors, such as large radars and telescopes, are being coordinated by the Joint Integrated Missile Defense Team in Colorado Springs, Colo., under the U.S. Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command.
Three U.S. Navy ships -- the cruiser USS Lake Erie and the destroyers USS Decatur and USS Russell -- are posted in the Pacific Ocean waiting for an optimal time to launch, the senior officer said. The Erie is slated to shoot at the satellite, and it is fitted with two SM-3 missiles. The Decatur has one, and the Russell has none. The missiles were modified to carry additional sensor equipment for the mission, the senior officer said.
The launch will be conducted during daytime over the Pacific, the senior officer explained, so that all sensors involved can better track the results of the missile launch. Necessary criteria for launch include satisfactory alignment of all pre-launch sensor-supplied data, as well as favorable weather conditions, he said.
Currently, the wave height about the ships is unfavorable to launch, the officer said. However, this and other conditions are subject to change, he added.
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2008 – The Pentagon has opened the window of time in which it will shoot down a malfunctioning U.S. reconnaissance satellite, a senior U.S. military officer said here today.
Today’s return of the space shuttle Atlantis to Earth prompted the start of the optimal time period for shooting down the satellite, which extends until about the end of the month, the senior officer told Pentagon reporters.
Only “tens of seconds” will be available each day for a favorable launch of a ship-based SM-3 interceptor missile, the senior officer said. “The window is small, … but we’re looking for the best orientation of the satellite” before launching the missile, the officer explained.
The 5,000-pound satellite malfunctioned soon after it was launched in 2006, making it unresponsive to ground control. It is carrying a tank full of hydrazine, a toxic rocket fuel. The satellite, orbiting every 90 minutes or so, was expected to fall to Earth in February or March with its tank of hydrazine intact, possibly endangering human populations.
President Bush directed the Defense Department to engage the satellite just before it enters the atmosphere at about 150 miles above the Earth. The goal is for the missile to hit and rupture the tank of rocket fuel, causing the hydrazine to burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere, along with debris from the stricken satellite.
About 50 percent of debris produced by the missile strike is expected to burn up during the stricken satellite’s first two orbits after being hit, the senior military officer said, with the rest burning up shortly after.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is to give the order to launch, based upon commanders’ recommendations, the senior officer said. Gates will be advised as to the optimal time to launch by the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, based at Offutt Air Force Base, in Omaha, Neb.
All space sensor and missile-tracking activity related to the missile launch is being coordinated by the Joint Space Operations Center, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Sensors, such as large radars and telescopes, are being coordinated by the Joint Integrated Missile Defense Team in Colorado Springs, Colo., under the U.S. Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command.
Three U.S. Navy ships -- the cruiser USS Lake Erie and the destroyers USS Decatur and USS Russell -- are posted in the Pacific Ocean waiting for an optimal time to launch, the senior officer said. The Erie is slated to shoot at the satellite, and it is fitted with two SM-3 missiles. The Decatur has one, and the Russell has none. The missiles were modified to carry additional sensor equipment for the mission, the senior officer said.
The launch will be conducted during daytime over the Pacific, the senior officer explained, so that all sensors involved can better track the results of the missile launch. Necessary criteria for launch include satisfactory alignment of all pre-launch sensor-supplied data, as well as favorable weather conditions, he said.
Currently, the wave height about the ships is unfavorable to launch, the officer said. However, this and other conditions are subject to change, he added.
USA 193 Shoot Down for Today Probably Cancelled
Several news agencies are reporting that the attempt to shoot down USA 193 by the US Navy has been postponed for today due to bad weather (high seas) in the operations area. The next attempt could occur tommorrow evening (see my http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/2008/02/usa-193-shoot-down-set-for-thursday.html).
And a new NOTAM has been issued for a possible shoot down on Friday. Here is that NOTAM:
And a new NOTAM has been issued for a possible shoot down on Friday. Here is that NOTAM:
02/075 (A0041/08) - AIRSPACE CARF NR. 93 ON EVELYN STATIONARY RESERVATION WITHIN AN AREA BNDD BY 3145N/17012W 2824N/16642W 2352N/16317W 1909N/16129W 1241N/16129W 1239N/16532W 1842N/17057W 2031N/17230W 2703N/17206W SFC-UNL. 23 FEB 02:30 2008 UNTIL 23 FEB 05:00 2008. CREATED: 20FEB 14:21 2008
One insider says that DoD has a ten day period (which opened today) in which to get this job done. There is basically one shooting window a day they can use. More are available, but the others are not good for debris containment.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
USA 193 Shoot Down Update - 2/19/2007 at 0941 EST
Our good friend John Locker has checked in again this morning with the latest update on the shootdown of USA 193/NROL-21. According to John the third US Navy warship involved in this operation may be the USS Russell (DDG-59) based out of Pearl Harbor.
John and I agree that DoD will probably issue a new NOTAM each day until they have a successful shootdown. John says looking at future satellite predictions for USA 193 we will have a window for a shootdown for at least five days. Below is a graphic courtesy of John for the Thursday shootdown attempt.
Image above subject to copyright restrictions. Copyright ©2008 by John Locker. Used with permission of the author. Click on graphic to animate.
John and I agree that DoD will probably issue a new NOTAM each day until they have a successful shootdown. John says looking at future satellite predictions for USA 193 we will have a window for a shootdown for at least five days. Below is a graphic courtesy of John for the Thursday shootdown attempt.
Image above subject to copyright restrictions. Copyright ©2008 by John Locker. Used with permission of the author. Click on graphic to animate.
Window to Open for Satellite Shoot-Down, Gates to Issue Order
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2008 – The anticipated landing tomorrow of the space shuttle Atlantis will open the window of opportunity for the U.S. military to shoot down a dying intelligence satellite headed toward Earth, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today.
President Bush has authorized Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to give the shoot-down order, and the secretary received a briefing on the plan today, Morrell said. The secretary is prepared to make that call from the road, if necessary, during his nine-day, around-the-world trip that begins tomorrow, he said.
Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters last week the window of opportunity for shooting down the satellite would last seven or eight days.
“We have a pretty wide aperture with which to take this shot,” Morrell said today. “I think the commanders that are evaluating this are looking at all the conditions that could impact this to make sure that when we do take this shot, it can be as successful as possible.”
Cartwright, Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, and other experts across the military and U.S. government “are evaluating the situation and will advise the secretary when they have a shot to take,” Morrell said.
Pentagon officials began studying the situation in early January when it become clear that a malfunctioning U.S. spy satellite could cause death or injury if it fell in a populated area. Of particular concern is that the satellite could release hydrazine, a toxic chemical used as a maneuvering fuel.
A Pentagon plan was put together to strike the incoming satellite just above the atmosphere, rupturing the hydrazine tank in the process.
All systems appear to be “go” for the launch order. The Navy has prepared for the mission by modifying three SM-3 missiles aboard Aegis ships to strike the satellite, Cartwright said last week.
The international community has been informed of the mission and why it’s being conducted, Morrell said. “So I think everybody is up to date on what our thinking is and what our course of action is going to be, and we will keep them apprised of how it develops over the coming days,” he said.
The Federal Aviation Administration today issued a 24-hour notice warning aircraft and ships to steer clear of the projected shoot-down zone in the Pacific. New warnings will be issued every 24 hours during the anticipated shoot-down window, Morrell said.
The Pentagon will issue a written statement within an hour of the launch and will hold a news conference regarding the effort within the following hours, Morrell told reporters. “We can probably tell you at that point whether or not there has been an intercept,” but not necessarily if it destroyed the fuel tank, he said. “That may require some additional time,” he acknowledged.
Cartwright and other commanders associated with the mission “have a high confidence this engagement will indeed be successful, and I think Secretary Gates shares that confidence,” Morrell told reporters.
Morrell emphasized that the mission isn’t designed to test U.S. anti-satellite capabilities. “We did that in 1985. Been there, done that,” he said.
“This operation is designed to alleviate a threat to human beings on this planet. There is a large tank of hydrazine fuel onboard that satellite that would pose a significant threat to people within the immediate vicinity of it if it were to hit land,” Morrell said. “So not wishing to take that risk, the president has asked -- ordered -- this department to shoot down that satellite.
“And that is what we are now evaluating,” he continued, “and that is what the secretary will decide to do, based upon the advice of the commanders.”
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2008 – The anticipated landing tomorrow of the space shuttle Atlantis will open the window of opportunity for the U.S. military to shoot down a dying intelligence satellite headed toward Earth, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today.
President Bush has authorized Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to give the shoot-down order, and the secretary received a briefing on the plan today, Morrell said. The secretary is prepared to make that call from the road, if necessary, during his nine-day, around-the-world trip that begins tomorrow, he said.
Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters last week the window of opportunity for shooting down the satellite would last seven or eight days.
“We have a pretty wide aperture with which to take this shot,” Morrell said today. “I think the commanders that are evaluating this are looking at all the conditions that could impact this to make sure that when we do take this shot, it can be as successful as possible.”
Cartwright, Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, and other experts across the military and U.S. government “are evaluating the situation and will advise the secretary when they have a shot to take,” Morrell said.
Pentagon officials began studying the situation in early January when it become clear that a malfunctioning U.S. spy satellite could cause death or injury if it fell in a populated area. Of particular concern is that the satellite could release hydrazine, a toxic chemical used as a maneuvering fuel.
A Pentagon plan was put together to strike the incoming satellite just above the atmosphere, rupturing the hydrazine tank in the process.
All systems appear to be “go” for the launch order. The Navy has prepared for the mission by modifying three SM-3 missiles aboard Aegis ships to strike the satellite, Cartwright said last week.
The international community has been informed of the mission and why it’s being conducted, Morrell said. “So I think everybody is up to date on what our thinking is and what our course of action is going to be, and we will keep them apprised of how it develops over the coming days,” he said.
The Federal Aviation Administration today issued a 24-hour notice warning aircraft and ships to steer clear of the projected shoot-down zone in the Pacific. New warnings will be issued every 24 hours during the anticipated shoot-down window, Morrell said.
The Pentagon will issue a written statement within an hour of the launch and will hold a news conference regarding the effort within the following hours, Morrell told reporters. “We can probably tell you at that point whether or not there has been an intercept,” but not necessarily if it destroyed the fuel tank, he said. “That may require some additional time,” he acknowledged.
Cartwright and other commanders associated with the mission “have a high confidence this engagement will indeed be successful, and I think Secretary Gates shares that confidence,” Morrell told reporters.
Morrell emphasized that the mission isn’t designed to test U.S. anti-satellite capabilities. “We did that in 1985. Been there, done that,” he said.
“This operation is designed to alleviate a threat to human beings on this planet. There is a large tank of hydrazine fuel onboard that satellite that would pose a significant threat to people within the immediate vicinity of it if it were to hit land,” Morrell said. “So not wishing to take that risk, the president has asked -- ordered -- this department to shoot down that satellite.
“And that is what we are now evaluating,” he continued, “and that is what the secretary will decide to do, based upon the advice of the commanders.”
USA 193 Shoot Down Set for Thursday or Friday UTC?
The US Department of Defense has issued a couple of NOTAMs out of the Honolulu ARTCC that may indicate when the US Navy is going to attempt a shootdown of the NRO Spy Satellite USA 193. The USS Lake Erie CG-70 and USS Decatur DDG-73 are set to perform the mission using the Navy has modified three SM-3 missiles aboard Aegis ships to strike the satellite, said Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.The Navy wants to intercept the satellite at a point just above the atmosphere so there would be a high likelihood of bringing it down in an unpopulated area. An intercept also would rupture the hydrazine tank. The vice chairman would not say exactly where the ships would fire from, only saying it will be from the northern hemisphere and the Pacific Ocean.
The first operational opportunity is detailed in this NOTAM:
02/062 (A0038/08) - AIRSPACE CARF NR. 90 ON EVELYN STATIONARY RESERVATION WITHIN AN AREA BNDD BY 3145N 17012W 2824N 16642W 2352N 16317W 1909N 16129W 1241N 16129W 1239N 16532W 1842N 17057W 2031N 17230W 2703N 17206W SFC-UNL. 21 FEB 02:30 2008 UNTIL 21 FEB 05:00 2008. CREATED: 18 FEB 12:51 2008
Based on this NOTAM the shootdown will occur on 21 Feb 2008 between 0230-0500 UTC or 20 feb 2008, Wednesday evening 2130-2400 EST.
Using the NOTAM above and the latest TLE Ted Molzcan has plotted a possible shootdown scenario and placed that into a PDF at http://satobs.org/seesat_ref/06057A/USA_193_NOTAM_unverified.pdf.
That diagram is also presented below. Looks like the actual first shootdown attempt of USA 193 will occur around 21 Feb 2008 at 0330 UTC (20 Feb 2008 2230 EST).
USA 193 Shootdown plot courtesy of Ted Mozcan and the SEESAT-L newsgroup.The benefit of a shootdown during this pass, is that if anything does come down, it will do so over the barren Canadian Arctic rather than over populated area. You can see that track on a satplot displayed on Dr. Marco Langbroek satrackcam blog at
http://sattrackcam.blogspot.com/2008/01/usa-193-imminent-decay-in-news.html.
Our good friend John Locker has just passed along a second NOTAM that I have reposted below.
02/067 (A0708/08) - AIRSPACE STATIONARY RESERVATION WITHIN AN AREA BNDD BY 3145N / 17012W, 2824N / 16642W, 2352N / 16317W, 1909N / 16129W, 1241N / 16129W, 1239N / 16532W, 1842N / 17057W, 2031N / 17230W, 2703N / 17206W SFC-UNL. 22 FEB 02:30 2008 UNTIL 22 FEB 05:00 2008. CREATED: 19 FEB 12:30 2008
This is exactly 24 hours later than the first attempt. So based on this NOTAM the 2nd attempt at a USA 193 shootdown will occur on 22 Feb 2008 between 0230-0500 UTC or 21 Feb 2008, Thursday evening 2130-2400 EST if the first attempt is not successful.
For visual observers the latest TLE elset from Ted Molzcan and the SEESAT-L group follows:
USA 193 5.0 2.5 0.0 4.3 v 250 X 257 km
1 29651U 06057A 08049.03290930 .00227439 00000-0 27958-3 0 02
2 29651 58.5131 39.7259 0005095 99.1484 261.0195 16.07330305 09
Arc 2008 Feb 11.46 - 18.04, WRMS residuals = 0.1 deg
Rate of altitude decrease is about 1.3 km/d (kilometres per day).Using the above elements and a 10.7 cm solar flux of 70, Satevo v0.51 estimatesdecay from orbit on 2008 March 15. The uncertainty is at least several days.Definition of 2-line elements format:http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/SSapplications/Post/JavaSSOP/SSOP
Friday, February 15, 2008
US diplomat says USA 193 will reenter March 6
Courtesy of Allen Thomson, SEESAT-L and Space Daily:
http://www.spacedaily.com/2006/080215154433.84uvtddv.html
"An out-of-commission US spy satellite will enter the Earth's atmosphere on or around March 6 if Washington fails with its plans to shoot it down, a top US diplomat said on Friday.
"If the engagement fails, the satellite is expected to make an uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere on or about 6 March 2008 in any region on the Earth's surface between 58.5 degrees North and 58.5 degrees South latitudes," said Christina Rocca, US ambassador to the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament (CD)."
This is considerably off from predictions that have been posted on SEESAT-L that have been derived by the SATEVO software package.
http://www.spacedaily.com/2006/080215154433.84uvtddv.html
"An out-of-commission US spy satellite will enter the Earth's atmosphere on or around March 6 if Washington fails with its plans to shoot it down, a top US diplomat said on Friday.
"If the engagement fails, the satellite is expected to make an uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere on or about 6 March 2008 in any region on the Earth's surface between 58.5 degrees North and 58.5 degrees South latitudes," said Christina Rocca, US ambassador to the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament (CD)."
This is considerably off from predictions that have been posted on SEESAT-L that have been derived by the SATEVO software package.
Navy to Shoot Down Malfunctioning Satellite
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
A Standard Missile (SM-3) is launched from the Aegis combat system equipped Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) during a Missile Defense Agency ballistic missile flight test. (U.S. Navy Photo) WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy will shoot down a malfunctioning U.S. spy satellite sometime after Feb. 20, government officials said during a Pentagon news conference Feb. 14.
Ambassador James F. Jeffrey, assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor, said President George W. Bush decided to bring down the satellite because of the likelihood that the satellite could release hydrazine, a toxic chemical used as a maneuvering fuel.
"The likelihood of the satellite falling in a populated area is small, and the extent and duration of toxic hydrazine in the atmosphere would be limited," Jeffrey said. "Nevertheless, if the satellite did fall in a populated area, there was the possibility of death or injury to human beings beyond that associated with the fall of satellites and other space debris."
The window for shooting down the satellite opens in the next three or four days and remains open for as many as seven or eight days, said Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said the study group looked carefully at increased risks to the shuttle and International Space Station and decided they are negligible.
"We are very comfortable that this is a decision made carefully, objectively and safely," Griffin said.
Still, the Navy will not fire until after the shuttle Atlantis mission ends Feb. 20.
In late January, the U.S. government notified other nations that the satellite was unresponsive and would make an uncontrolled reentry in late February or early March.
The Navy has modified three SM-3 missiles aboard Aegis ships to strike the satellite, Cartwright said. The Navy wants to intercept the satellite at a point just above the atmosphere so there would be a high likelihood of bringing it down in an unpopulated area. An intercept also would rupture the hydrazine tank. The vice chairman would not say exactly where the ships would fire from, only saying it will be from the northern hemisphere and the Pacific Ocean.
Intercepting the satellite at about 130 nautical miles altitude will reduce the risk of debris in space. Once the satellite is hit, officials hope 50 percent of the debris will come to Earth in the first two orbits and the rest shortly thereafter, Cartwright said.
The satellite belongs to the National Reconnaissance Office and was launched Dec. 14, 2006. It weighs roughly 5,000 pounds, and computer models show that roughly 2,800 pounds would survive reentry.
"What is different here is the hydrazine," Cartwright said. "In this case, we have some historical background that we can work against for the tank that contains the hydrazine. We had a similar one on Columbia that survived reentry. We have a pretty reasonable understanding that, if the tank is left intact, it would survive the reentry."
The tank is circular with a radius of 20 inches. It holds about 1,000 pounds of the fuel.
While details of the satellite are classified -- DoD officials will not release who built it or how much it costs -- that had no bearing on the decision to shoot it down, Cartwright said. The temperatures from reentry would burn up any classified system on the satellite, he said.
Hydrazine is similar to chlorine or ammonia in that it affects lung tissue. People inhaling it would feel a burning sensation. "If you stay close to it and inhale a lot of it, it could be deadly," Cartwright said.
If the military did not shoot down the satellite, the hydrazine would disperse over an area roughly the size of two football fields, the general said. Those who breathed it would need medical attention.
"As we reviewed the data, if we fire at the satellite, the worst that could happen is that we miss," Cartwright said. "Then we have a known situation, which is where we are today."
Grazing the satellite would probably still bring it down quicker and more predictably, he said.
"If we hit the hydrazine tank, then we've improved the potential to mitigate that threat," he said. "The regret factor of not acting clearly outweighed the regret factor of acting."
A Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) is launched from Pearl Harbor-based guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) to intercept a threat representative target as part of a Missile Defense Agency test of the sea-based capability under development. This was part of a multiple simultaneous engagement involving two ballistic missile targets that were intercepted about 250 miles from Kauai and approximately 100 miles above the Pacific Ocean. The SM-3 was one of two interceptors launched from the ship that collided with two ballistic missile targets launched from the Pacific Missile Range Test Facility in Kauai, Hawaii, within minutes of one another. (U.S. Navy photo)
USA 193/NROL-21 Update 2/15/2008
Charles Vick has worked up a drawing of what USA 193/NROL-21 probably looks like. And Charles is noted for being pretty accurate. You can see that image on the Global Security website at http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/images/e-305-concept.jpg.
You can learn more about this satellite and the E-305 Radar capability on the Global Security website at http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/e-305.htm. USA 193 is believed to be a new generation military radar imaging recon. This Future Imagery Architecture (FIA) Imagery Radar Satellite is probably a replacement for the operational Lacrosse/Vega/Onyx spacecraft that are believed to carrying two elongated radar imaging dishes.
And here is the latest TLE set from Ted Molczan and the SEESAT-L gang.
USA 193 5.0 2.5 0.0 4.3 v 260 X 268 km
1 29651U 06057A 08040.19031987 .00154186 00000-0 23822-3 0 09
2 29651 58.4879 79.7345 0006557 83.6022 276.5824 16.03599602 00
Arc 2008 Feb 04.28 - 09.21, WRMS residuals = 0.039 deg
Mean rate of altitude decrease over the past five days was about 850 m/d (metres per day).
Definition of 2-line elements format: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/SSapplications/Post/JavaSSOP/SSOP
_Help/tle_def.html
Using the above elements and a 10.7 cm solar flux of 71, Satevo v0.51 estimates decay from orbit on 2008 March 19, in reasonable agreement with earlier estimates. The uncertainty is at least one week.
DoD To Engage Decaying Satellite
This is the official press release from the Department of Defense on their plans for handling USA 193/NROL-21.An uncontrollable U.S. experimental satellite which was launched in December 2006 is expected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere between the end of February and early March. Because the satellite was never operational, analysis indicate that approximately 2,500 pounds (1134 kgs) of satellite mass will survive reentry, including 1,000 pounds (453 kgs) of propellant fuel (hydrazine), a hazardous material.
Although the chances of an impact in a populated area are small, the potential consequences would be of enough concern to consider mitigating actions. Therefore, the President has decided to take action to mitigate the risk to human lives by engaging the non-functioning satellite. Because our missile defense system is not designed to engage satellites, extraordinary measures have been taken to temporarily modify three sea-based tactical missiles and three ships to carry out the engagement.
Based on modeling and analysis, our officials have high confidence that the engagement will be successful. As for when this engagement will occur, we will determine the optimal time, location, and geometry for a successful engagement based on a number of factors. As the satellite’s path continues to decay, there will be a window of opportunity between late February and early March to conduct this engagement. The decision to engage the satellite has to be made before a precise prediction of impact location is available.
Contact with hydrazine is hazardous. Direct contact with skin or eyes, ingestion or inhalations from hydrazine released from the tank upon impact could result in immediate danger. If this operation is successful, the hydrazine will then no longer pose a risk to humans.
The U.S. government has been and continues to track and monitor this satellite. Various government agencies are planning for the reentry of the satellite. In the event the engagement is not successful, all appropriate elements of the U.S. Government are working together to explore options to mitigate the danger to humans and to ensure that all parties are properly prepared to respond. In the unlikely event satellite pieces land in a populated area, people are strongly advised to avoid the impact area until trained hazardous materials (HAZMAT) teams are able to properly dispose of any remaining hydrazine.
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