[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]American warships are moving into position to try to shoot down an out-of-control spy satellite as early as Wednesday before it tumbles into the Earth's atmosphere, Pentagon officials said here on Tuesday.
Armed with two specially modified interceptor missiles, the ‘USS Lake Erie' has been tasked to intercept the satellite over the Pacific and shoot it down into the ocean, the officials said, adding that a cruiser, the Aegis, is already in waters off Hawaii.
The ‘USS Decatur', a guided missile destroyer, is carrying a third interceptor missile in case the first two attempts fail, defence officials said. Another destroyer, the USS Russell, was still in port on Tuesday. "I'm confident they'll be able to do something," said a senior Navy official. "Once the weapon goes into track, then I think it's a done deal."
The Pentagon has waited for the space shuttle Atlantis to land first at the end of its mission to the International Space Station. That is scheduled for 9.07 am on Wednesday.
"Touchdown of the Atlantis opens the window of opportunity for the US military to shoot down that rapidly decaying US intelligence satellite," said Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary. "There is a very low risk because our orbits are quite different," Atlantis Commander Steve Frick said. "The satellite is well below us (where) we are now, but of course we are going to land before they break up that satellite."
The Pentagon is essentially employing the US missile defence system for the shoot-down attempt at an estimated cost of $40 to 60 million. It is training a panoply of Aegis warships, radars and computerized command networks on the school bus-sized satellite.
Software changes have been made to the SM-3 interceptor missiles so that they will recognize a satellite in space instead of a ballistic missile — their normal programmed target — officials said.
The three-stage missile will carry a maneuverable non-explosive warhead guided from the ground until it can use its infrared sensor to steer itself into a shattering collision with the satellite at an altitude of 150 nautical miles.
Source: Times of India, AFP
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Armed with two specially modified interceptor missiles, the ‘USS Lake Erie' has been tasked to intercept the satellite over the Pacific and shoot it down into the ocean, the officials said, adding that a cruiser, the Aegis, is already in waters off Hawaii.
The ‘USS Decatur', a guided missile destroyer, is carrying a third interceptor missile in case the first two attempts fail, defence officials said. Another destroyer, the USS Russell, was still in port on Tuesday. "I'm confident they'll be able to do something," said a senior Navy official. "Once the weapon goes into track, then I think it's a done deal."
The Pentagon has waited for the space shuttle Atlantis to land first at the end of its mission to the International Space Station. That is scheduled for 9.07 am on Wednesday.
"Touchdown of the Atlantis opens the window of opportunity for the US military to shoot down that rapidly decaying US intelligence satellite," said Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary. "There is a very low risk because our orbits are quite different," Atlantis Commander Steve Frick said. "The satellite is well below us (where) we are now, but of course we are going to land before they break up that satellite."
The Pentagon is essentially employing the US missile defence system for the shoot-down attempt at an estimated cost of $40 to 60 million. It is training a panoply of Aegis warships, radars and computerized command networks on the school bus-sized satellite.
Software changes have been made to the SM-3 interceptor missiles so that they will recognize a satellite in space instead of a ballistic missile — their normal programmed target — officials said.
The three-stage missile will carry a maneuverable non-explosive warhead guided from the ground until it can use its infrared sensor to steer itself into a shattering collision with the satellite at an altitude of 150 nautical miles.
Source: Times of India, AFP
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