US Navy Shoots Down Errant Satellite
The US Navy shot down a malfunctioning US satellite on February 20, 2008 to prevent the possibility that it could release hydrazine, a toxic chemical, if it re-entered the atmosphere and crashed in a populated area. The USS Lake Erie (CG 70) launched the missile from the Pacific Ocean and intercepted the satellite at a point just above the atmosphere in order to bring it down in an unpopulated area. The satellite weighed 5,000 pounds. It is believed that roughly 2,800 pounds would have remained intact and survived re-entry if not intercepted.
Comments:
Why did the US shoot down this satellite?<br><br>A) Because the fuel tank posed a threat if it crashed into land<br>B) Because the military technology on board might stay intact and fall into the hands of others<br>C) Because the US military wanted to prove to the world that they have the technology and can shoot down any satellite they feel like, and no one can stop them.<br>D) Some other reason
Because they can!!! Go, NAVY. :-)
Just to clarify, shooting it "down" isn't really accurate. They shot it, and its now still orbiting in, they hope, much smaller pieces.
I think B and C apply. I think A does not. The probability of the tank (aluminum?) with hydrazine under pressure surviving reentry seems trivial to me. And then there are reasons (D) that most of us will never know!
From its inception as a spy satellite to the wasteful but headline grabbing blow it out of the sky mentality typifies the sad state of our government and industrial military war machine. From the money spent to design/build/blow up this satellite, its not difficult to imagine what kind of better way to spend that kind of money.Whatever the government wants you to glean from this "event", lets look at the the sickening waste of it all and try to realize where our priorities are before its too late.
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