| Russia is upset, China says that the United States is | | | | So, was this a convenient situation that allowed the |
| lying; however, the deed has been done nonetheless. | | | | United States to test their capacity to take out a |
| The rogue spy satellite was taken out on the very | | | | satellite? Was it some sort of cover up like the IRAS |
| first attempt. At 10:26 p.m. EST last evening, the | | | | satelitte that we said was inoperable only to turn it |
| Navy confirmed it hit a falling and potentially | | | | back on secretly? Maybe? |
| dangerous defense intelligence satellite using an SM-3 | | | | The use of the Navy missile amounted to an |
| missile fired from the deck of the USS Lake Erie in | | | | unprecedented use of components of the Pentagon's |
| the Northern Pacific. | | | | missile defense system, designed to shoot down |
| Now we deal with the fallout- literally! | | | | hostile ballistic missiles in flight — not kill |
| Officials say the missile likely destroyed its intended | | | | satellites. The operation was so extraordinary, with |
| target, a 1,000 pound tank of toxic hydrazine fuel. | | | | such intense international publicity and political |
| "There was an explosion on impact and over | | | | ramifications, that Defense Secretary Robert Gates, |
| 80 pieces of debris were detected after initial | | | | rather than a military commander, was to make the |
| assessments," an official said. Some of those | | | | final decision to pull the trigger. |
| pieces are projected to stay in orbit for as long as | | | | And to think of the dramatics of the night. It was |
| 40 days before burning up as they fall to earth. | | | | done right after Atlantis came back from the space |
| The blast is a good sign because the warhead was | | | | station and on the night of the lunar eclipse. What a |
| non-explosive, meaning the explosion was most likely | | | | script! |
| caused by hitting the gas tank. The large amount of | | | | The government organized hazardous materials |
| debris detected is also positive because it indicates | | | | teams, under the code name "Burnt |
| they struck one of the satellite's more massive | | | | Frost," to be flown to the site of any |
| sections, and the tank is one of its largest. | | | | dangerous or otherwise sensitive debris that might |
| The missile hit the satellite about three minutes after | | | | land in the United States or elsewhere. Six federal |
| launch as the spacecraft, roughly the size of a school | | | | response groups that are positioned across the |
| bus, traveled in polar orbit at more than 17,000 mph. | | | | country by the Federal Emergency Management |
| Land observers with the Joint Integrated Missile | | | | Agency have been alerted but not activated, FEMA |
| Defense Team in Colorado Springs and Strategic | | | | spokesman James McIntyre said. "These are |
| Command in Omaha will continue to assess the levels | | | | purely precautionary and preparedness actions |
| of damage along with the three Navy ships still in the | | | | only," he said. |
| Northern Pacific. | | | | |