satellite shootdown
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satellite shootdown
just seen a report on the bbc about the US shooting down an old spy sat, what system will they use?. was thinking the 80s ASAT but that uses an F15, might be a problem there
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Similarities to the Chinese and their wx sat anyone?
As I understood it all, of the Intel gathering sats had charges on them to destroy the equipment at the end of life, but this would certainly seem a useful opportunity to test a ground based missile.
Were the F15 launched ASAT's manufactured by Lockheed? I have vague recollections of reading someware that the remaining ones had issues with some of the propellant / and or structural integrity?
As I understood it all, of the Intel gathering sats had charges on them to destroy the equipment at the end of life, but this would certainly seem a useful opportunity to test a ground based missile.
Were the F15 launched ASAT's manufactured by Lockheed? I have vague recollections of reading someware that the remaining ones had issues with some of the propellant / and or structural integrity?
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I seem to recall reading that the Russians went ape over the suggestion of ASAT, claiming it broke some long standing agreement or other over space weapons, and as such it never reached operational service or largescale production - unlikely to be a serviceable weapon or crews trained in its usage (never mind the aforementioned problem of it only being employable from the F-15....).
Think AEGIS and its SAMs will be the weapon of choice this time, rather than using the experimental(ish) missiles proposed for the missile defence shield.
Think AEGIS and its SAMs will be the weapon of choice this time, rather than using the experimental(ish) missiles proposed for the missile defence shield.
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They're looking at a Standard missile from an Aegis ship:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7245578.stm
I was amazed to discover just how many satellites are tootling around up there - the vast majority admittedly are comms birds, but just imagine the effect on national morale if China/NK/AQ managed to bring down the Sky satellite...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7245578.stm
I was amazed to discover just how many satellites are tootling around up there - the vast majority admittedly are comms birds, but just imagine the effect on national morale if China/NK/AQ managed to bring down the Sky satellite...
RETDPI
I believe that this satellite was always going to come back down to earth as it never fully left the earth's gravitational pull (IIRC). I believe that Newton's law remains intact... for now!
I believe that this satellite was always going to come back down to earth as it never fully left the earth's gravitational pull (IIRC). I believe that Newton's law remains intact... for now!
Since the ASM-135 ASAT missile a) no longer exists, and b) probably couldn't be programmed into the F-15's PACS in time even if it did, it makes sense to use a SAM. But I am surprised they are using a modified Standard Missile instead of a modified PAC-3 or similar.
ZH
Looks like you struggle to write complex sentences. Best stick to the short ones, hey?
ZH
Looks like you struggle to write complex sentences. Best stick to the short ones, hey?
More detail from the US DoD:
DoD To Engage Decaying Satellite
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.
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.
Satellite Shootdown Going Forward: The Pentagon has chosen to proceed with plans to shoot down an "uncontrollable" classified US intelligence satellite that is reentering Earth's atmosphere at the end of the month, using an element of the ballistic missile defense network, senior officials confirmed at the Pentagon Thursday. Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that some 2,500 pounds of satellite mass might survive reentry and would include about 1,000 pounds of the propellant hydrazine, a hazardous material. While the chances of impact in a populated area are low, President Bush has elected to take action to mitigate the potential risk if it impacts near a populated area, said James Jeffrey, the deputy national security advisor. Talks with other space agencies and countries have been ongoing since January regarding the satellite and potential action against it, he added. The Pentagon has elected to use a Navy Standard Missile 3 anti-missile interceptor and believes that the window of opportunity will be only a few days. The goal is to hit the satellite at about 130 nautical miles away from the Earth. Navy personnel have been reprogramming the SM-3's software so that it will be able to better target a disintegrating satellite, which has a different and far more erratic trajectory than an aerodynamic ballistic missile. There will be one missile primed for the attempt with two backups, and three ships will be on station for the operation, Cartwright said. The area of operation is not yet set, but the Navy will deploy the ships to a location somewhere in the northern hemisphere in the Pacific Ocean, he said.
The more cynical amongst us still think its more to do with testing current anti satellite capability. The problems with the damaged satellite provide the US with a perfect cover story.
The risk of blowing up a satellite in orbit is that it will leave a huge amount of debris for other vehicles to run into. Space junk is a real problem - a space shuttle windscreen was damaged by a flake of paint from a saturn rocket once. It penetrated several mm and would have fatally injured the occupant of a space suit if it had collided.
It is far better to let it burn up in the atmosphere, the risk of any debris is minimal. And as hydrazine is a highly volatile monofuel, the chances of any of it reaching the Earth's surface is zero.
This sounds like an excuse to test a missile. A similar test by the Chinese was heavily berated bu the US!
It is far better to let it burn up in the atmosphere, the risk of any debris is minimal. And as hydrazine is a highly volatile monofuel, the chances of any of it reaching the Earth's surface is zero.
This sounds like an excuse to test a missile. A similar test by the Chinese was heavily berated bu the US!
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All satellites re-enter eventually, even the ones at over 20,000 mile altitudes. Earths gravitational influence extends to something like 7x the distance to the Moon. The satellite in question is currently at around 160 miles altitude (far lower than any 'enemy' satellites that one would like to destroy), and its orbit is decaying at about 0.5+ miles/day, and that figure is constantly increasing as it meets more of our atmosphere. If the satellite is hit at 130 miles altitude, most of the debris will re-enter after a few orbits. It could demonstrate the ability to hit small high-speed objects in LEO. 
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well, maybe .......
but don't worry, you've got 5 billion years!
http://www.space.com/scienceastronom...rary_moon.html
but don't worry, you've got 5 billion years!
http://www.space.com/scienceastronom...rary_moon.html
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You're safe E86, long may you continue to soar. The radius of the moons orbit is increasing by 3.8 cm per year. The more worrying aspect is that this is causing the length of a day on earth to increase by 0.002 seconds per century. Think how all that extra sun light is going to fade the curtains. 
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1. The hydrazine tank is allegedly likely to survive re-entry intact (being thick to hold the pressurized material, as well as insulated and surrounded by the rest of the satellite). Thus it could survive to burst on impact, releasing the fuel at ground level.
2. The SM-3 missiles are the same as those used for theater & re-entry-phase ballistic-missile interception.
3. At the altitude, speed, & flight path that will exist at the time of the shootdown attempt(s), the satellite will be acting much like a missile beginning re-entry (with a few extra zigs & zags).
4. The maximum range of the PAC-3 is nowhere close to what will be needed here.
"The goal is to hit the satellite at about 130 nautical miles away from the Earth."
What I have seen for the PAC-3 lists a max missile-intercept range of 45km, and a max altitude of 15km.
2. The SM-3 missiles are the same as those used for theater & re-entry-phase ballistic-missile interception.
3. At the altitude, speed, & flight path that will exist at the time of the shootdown attempt(s), the satellite will be acting much like a missile beginning re-entry (with a few extra zigs & zags).
4. The maximum range of the PAC-3 is nowhere close to what will be needed here.
"The goal is to hit the satellite at about 130 nautical miles away from the Earth."
What I have seen for the PAC-3 lists a max missile-intercept range of 45km, and a max altitude of 15km.