SpySat Deorbitized—The World Is Safe!

According to Marine General James Cartwright, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, there is a high degree of confidence that the U.S. Navy missile launched yesterday scored a direct hit on the falling U.S. spysat, once the order to proceed had been received from Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Now a “deorbited” satellite, thanks to superb technology and personnel, the small bits and pieces are being tracked over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. None appear to be of a size to warrant concern or expose our Earth to damage. The General stated the odds were 80 to 90 percent that the fuel tank was struck directly by the missile. In fact, the video clip of the SM-3 missile from the U.S.S. Lake Erie reveals the fireball. As General Cartwright stated, “… given that there’s no fuel (on the tip of the missile), that would indicate that that’s (the fireball) a hydrazine fire.” The collision was spectacular between the missile and the spysat, with the two approaching one another at a combined speed of approximately 22,000 miles per hour at about 130 miles above the surface of the Earth. Space operations confirmed the collision at 10:50 E.S.T. As well there should have been, General Cartwright commented, when asked if there was satisfaction among those responsible for the shoot, “You can imagine that at the point of intercept there were a few cheers that went up.”