Sometime on Wednesday, February 20, the US Navy will try to shoot down a US spy satellite. The malfunctioning satellite is in a failing orbit. The fuel tank of the satellite carries toxic hydrazine that would be dangerous to people if the satellite crashes in a populated area.
The satellite is traveling at a speed of over 17,000 miles per hour (27,353 kph).
The satellite is the size of a bus but to be successful the missile actually has to strike the small fuel tank of the satellite.
The missile has three stages but only the small tip of the missile, called the kill package, will strike the satellite and it has no explosives. The kinetic energy of the impact will be relied upon to destroy the fuel tank.
What do you think of this attempt to shoot down a satellite in low earth orbit?
What are the chances of success?
Let's see if it works.
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Originally Posted by Bees
What do you think of this attempt to shoot down a satellite in low earth orbit?
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Sorry; I wasn't finished posting this new thread and I hit submit instead of Preview.
I meant to include this url to an article in today's Washington Post , "Effort to Shoot Down Satellite Could Inform Military Strategy".
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...021902510.html
Also do you think this action "will help the military advance its anti-missile and anti-satellite planning and technology" as the article suggests?