Satellite could plummet to Earth

[Elphaba]

He has moved into what he calls "babysitting" it... he works in data capture, now (he's nearing retirement)... I can ask him about an update.

 

[Elphaba]

On the spy satellite note: it was visible tonight right before the ISS/shuttle transit, but it was only 10 degrees above the horizon, so, it wasn't really a viable sighting for me. But I can report that the ISS transit was awesome... very bright.

 

[Taximom]

Thank you all for such interesting information!

Elphaba, I have always been interested in the Hubble. DS almost did a report on it last year but was re-assigned. If he's ever interested in doing that, maybe he could interview your dh?

Buzz, my dad worked on missiles in the USAF. He worked on the now-retired BOMARC. He would have loved talking about this. From what you posted it sounds like this mission should be successful.

I was hoping smaller pieces would burn up easier in the atmosphere, but now I need to go back and read all this info again...

 

[Truly]

Who was supposed to be 'babysitting' the spy satellite for the past year?

I cannot find it mentioned on any .gov website. TIA.

 

[Truly]

Hmmm...after a little more research, US News and World Report states that the spy satellite belongs to the National Reconnaissance Office.
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/news-desk/2008/02/14/pentagon-satellite-shoot-down-could-spark-concern.html



So I googled National Reconnaissance Office, and found their website: www.nro.gov

And what do they say about the errant satellite? Zip. Zilch. Nada.



I did read on my google search (page 1) that the NRO was the agency which was conducting the exercise on Sept 11, 2001 built around a plane crashing into a building! http://boston.com/news/packages/sept11/anniversary/wire_stories/0903_plane_exercise.htm



Chicken Little has my attention. Where's my bicycle helmet?

 

[Buzz Mills]

Who was supposed to be 'babysitting' the spy satellite for the past year?

I cannot find it mentioned on any .gov website. TIA.

Truly, the public will hear very, very, little, if anything, about any black program super secret spy satellite except in a case such as this, and then we still won't hear about the technology, or the operation of the satellite.

 

[Buzz Mills]

He has moved into what he calls "babysitting" it... he works in data capture, now (he's nearing retirement)... I can ask him about an update.

Elphaba, it's wonderful that your father has worked on such a noted program. The pictures, and data, obtained by the Hubble, have been awesome, to say the least. I don't know how long your father has worked with Hubble, and this is a very long shot: ask him if he ever knew Nelson xxx, who was involved with the Hubble telemetry; Nelson worked for Lockheed, at least he did 20 years ago.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Thank you all for such interesting information!

Elphaba, I have always been interested in the Hubble. DS almost did a report on it last year but was re-assigned. If he's ever interested in doing that, maybe he could interview your dh?

Buzz, my dad worked on missiles in the USAF. He worked on the now-retired BOMARC. He would have loved talking about this. From what you posted it sounds like this mission should be successful.

I was hoping smaller pieces would burn up easier in the atmosphere, but now I need to go back and read all this info again...

Tm, I remember the BOMARC; that was almost at the beginning of time as far as missiles are concerned.

No guarantees on the success of the intercept - but with the possibility of using up to three missiles, the odds should be good.

 

[Truly]

Truly, the public will hear very, very, little, if anything, about any black program super secret spy satellite except in a case such as this, and then we still won't hear about the technology, or the operation of the satellite.

But buzz, the public has heard about it. Heck the public is blogging about it! It's the National Reconnaissance Office that is apparently unaware of a plutonium-powered outer space bus falling on North America in the next few days. www.nro.gov

BTW, the projected cost of shooting down the satellite rose from $60 million to $74 million overnight. Pretty expensive skeet shoot.

 

[STO4]

Just my opinion, but I think this eagerness to "shoot down" the satellite could be the U.S wanting to test out the missile defense system in case of "future threats".

 

[dingo]

Australia prepares for falling satelite.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=300249.



Police, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and Emergency Management Australia are all on standby as the United States prepares to shoot down a failed spy satellite.
The US military has said it hopes to smash the satellite as soon as next week - just before it enters Earth's atmosphere - with a single missile fired from a US Navy cruiser in the northern Pacific Ocean.
The US has told Australia and a handful of other nations to be on standby for falling debris from the highly classified satellite, because there is a minute possibility of the strike misfiring and debris falling on land rather than water.
"The Australian government has been advised formally by the US government that the president (George W Bush) has authorised the US Department of Defence to attempt to shoot down an inoperable satellite," a DFAT spokesman said.

 

[Taximom]

Please don't let debris fall on my aussie friends.

They should make these so that they self-destruct after a few days. Give NASA or whatever agency is responsible for it a few days to try and fix it if they can, otherwise *boom* in outer space. Not that we need more debris up there, but it's better than us having to fear what might happen down here.

 

[dingo]

Ive put the bike helmet back on Taximom

 

[Buzz Mills]

But buzz, the public has heard about it. Heck the public is blogging about it! It's the National Reconnaissance Office that is apparently unaware of a plutonium-powered outer space bus falling on North America in the next few days. www.nro.gov

BTW, the projected cost of shooting down the satellite rose from $60 million to $74 million overnight. Pretty expensive skeet shoot.

Look at it this way. The people assigned to the shootdown, are already employed and being paid, the hardware already exists and has been expensed, and with the exception of some O/T and per diem, there aren't any additional costs.

Truly, if the satellite wouldn't have failed, we would all still be in the dark regarding the satellite, and we still don't know anything about the technology on board the satellite; we only know generalities.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Australia prepares for falling satelite.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=300249.



Police, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and Emergency Management Australia are all on standby as the United States prepares to shoot down a failed spy satellite.
The US military has said it hopes to smash the satellite as soon as next week - just before it enters Earth's atmosphere - with a single missile fired from a US Navy cruiser in the northern Pacific Ocean.
The US has told Australia and a handful of other nations to be on standby for falling debris from the highly classified satellite, because there is a minute possibility of the strike misfiring and debris falling on land rather than water.
"The Australian government has been advised formally by the US government that the president (George W Bush) has authorised the US Department of Defence to attempt to shoot down an inoperable satellite," a DFAT spokesman said.

Remember dingo, "whatever can go wrong, will go wrong."

 

[Buzz Mills]

Just my opinion, but I think this eagerness to "shoot down" the satellite could be the U.S wanting to test out the missile defense system in case of "future threats".

A chance to showcase the U.S. missile defense system, on a "Sitting Duck."

This is the equivalent of the "easiest test" or, the first test, of a missile defense system. No decoys, no maneuverable re-entry bodies, to contend with; a known target, a known decaying orbit, plenty of time to prepare, three missiles available for the intercept.

It doesn't get any easier than this.

Still there is still a good chance of a failure, which includes any number of scenarios.

 

[Taximom]

Ive put the bike helmet back on Taximom

lol Dingo. :blowkiss: Forget the fee.

 

[dingo]

Remember dingo, "whatever can go wrong, will go wrong."

Thanks Buzz..thats a comforting thought

 

[dingo]

lol Dingo. :blowkiss: Forget the fee.

Youre a true mate

 

[Buzz Mills]

CNN reported that the first attempted intercept will be on Thursday, Feb. 21.