Navy to shoot down broken spy satellite

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Michael Hoddy

Navy to shoot down broken spy satellite

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Posts: 153

(14-Feb-2008 21:17:23)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23166344/

So it looks like the SM-3 and Navy missile defense are entering the ASAT game...

g lof2

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Posts: 207

(14-Feb-2008 23:15:00)

Sound like a way to get in a cheap test.

kennym

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Posts: 103

(15-Feb-2008 00:08:18)

Any bets on how many SM-3 it'll take? Might be anything but cheap...

taschoene

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Posts: 4139

(15-Feb-2008 02:55:38)

From the press conference, they have modified three SM-3s for this mission and plan to shoot only one per engagement. At most, they think they'll have two engagement chances before it's back over land or it reenters on its own. That's not an outrageous number of weapons to spend, especially considering the amount that can be learned from the test.

I would say this represents an incredibly limited ASAT capability in any event. This satellite is in a very low orbit already and will practically be grazing the atmosphere -- just 130 nm up -- when they try their intercepts. They're basically using a missile defense weapon to engage the satellite at a point where it already closely resembles a theater ballistic missile in flight.

BTW: the full transcript of the press briefing is here: http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=4145

Last Edited By: taschoene 15-Feb-2008 04:58:20. Edited 1 times.

AegisFC

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Posts: 200

(15-Feb-2008 23:29:50)

Thanks for the link taschoene!

taschoene

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Posts: 4140

(16-Feb-2008 16:06:13)

No problem. Here's another link with more information: Attempt to shoot down spy satellite to cost up to $60 million

The shooter is to be USS Lake Erie (CG 70), with USS Decatur (DDG 73) and USS Russell (DDG 59) providing sensor support (along with USNS Observation Island and the Sea-Based X-Band Radar platform).

The main tweak is modifying the SM-3 seeker (or more likely it's underlying software) to pick out a cold target instead of a hot one, and adapting the ships' systems to track faster orbital targets.

kennym

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Posts: 104

(17-Feb-2008 01:00:24)

So the target will be colder and faster? I'd have thought ballistic missile targets would be even faster?

taschoene

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Posts: 4141

(17-Feb-2008 09:38:44)

kennym wrote:
So the target will be colder and faster? I'd have thought ballistic missile targets would be even faster?

Nope. A satellite, even in a low orbit, is traveling significantly faster than a ballistic missile. Just think about the physics. If a ballistic missile warhead was flying as fast as a satellite, it would BE a satellite, because it would have sufficient velocity to achieve orbit. For the warhead to hit a target on Earth it has to be slower than a satellite, so that it comes back down instead of staying up in orbit.

kennym

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Posts: 105

(17-Feb-2008 15:17:00)

Err. Right. I should've figured that out all on my own, really.

I'll get me coat.

PMN1

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Posts: 3334

(18-Feb-2008 15:37:02)

A discussion on it here

http://uplink.space.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=businesstech&Number=883586&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart=

PMN1

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Posts: 3335

(18-Feb-2008 15:43:45)

From today's telegraph

American plans to shoot down an old spy satellite have prompted Beijing and Moscow to voice fears of military action in space. They claim the operation could be used as a cover to test a new anti-satellite weapon.

China threatened yesterday to take 'preventative measures'. The US claims the satellite must be destroyed before it crashed to earth

Last Edited By: PMN1 18-Feb-2008 15:46:11. Edited 1 times.

Gunnersmate04

Same old same old.....

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Registered Member

Posts: 58

(19-Feb-2008 18:34:10)

Once again, the Gunnersmates have to save the world!!!

GUNNER

kennym

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Posts: 106

(21-Feb-2008 02:52:23)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7254540.stm

The US might have to delay plans to shoot down a defunct spy satellite on Thursday because of bad weather.
Waves in the Pacific are too big for US warships to get into a correct position to fire a missile at the spacecraft.

The US Navy has been on standby to destroy the "spysat" before it enters Earth's atmosphere.

The satellite, known as USA 193, stopped communicating and lost control a few hours after it was launched on 14 December 2006.

Officials say the shootdown was approved amid concerns that toxic hydrazine fuel on board could harm or kill humans if inhaled.

The US has denied the operation is a response to the anti-satellite test carried out by China last year, which prompted fears of a space arms race. But Russia has challenged America's rationale for carrying out the action.

Once the space shuttle Atlantis had returned safely to Earth, the Pentagon announced the opening of a window of opportunity for it to try to shoot down USA 193.

The military plans to destroy the satellite with an SM-3 missile fired from the cruiser USS Lake Erie, which is posted on the western side of Hawaii along with the destroyers USS Decatur and USS Russell.

Official notices have been issued to aviators and mariners to remain clear of a section of the Pacific Ocean from 0230 to 0500 GMT on Thursday.

kennym

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Posts: 107

(21-Feb-2008 02:54:03)

Out of interest, why the two Burkes accompanying Lake Erie? Are they capable of operating the same modified SM-3s in case backup is required?

AegisFC

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Posts: 203

(21-Feb-2008 06:04:22)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080221/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/dead_satellite

WASHINGTON - A missile launched from a Navy ship successfully struck a dying U.S. spy satellite passing 130 miles over the Pacific on Wednesday, a defense official said. Full details were not immediately available. It happened just after 10:30 p.m. EST.

Two officials said the missile was launched successfully. One official, who is close to the process, said it hit the target. He said details on the results were not immediately know

Looks like we have a hit!

NoOneFamous

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Posts: 1002

(21-Feb-2008 07:52:14)

Kudos to the Navy

kennym

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Posts: 108

(21-Feb-2008 11:03:22)

Good shot, Red Two!

Gunnersmate04

BravoZulu!!!

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Registered Member

Posts: 65

(21-Feb-2008 16:36:41)

Great job G-Division and Fox-Division...you make this old Gunnersmate proud boys!!!

GUNNER

BenRoethig

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Posts: 1713

(21-Feb-2008 17:25:51)

kennym wrote:
Out of interest, why the two Burkes accompanying Lake Erie? Are they capable of operating the same modified SM-3s in case backup is required?

Yes, and they're loading with them too. The Burkes are just as capable as the cruisers. They just have 32 fewer VLS cells and lack flag facilities.

scifibugc

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Posts: 26

(21-Feb-2008 20:43:04)

Gunner,

While the GMM's own the missile and launch system, the FC's track it and get to press the fire button.

But ribbing aside Bravo Zulu to all involved, CO down to the guy who makes the bug juice.

FC1 (USN) (Ret.)

jhack

The two destroyers

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Posts: 88

(21-Feb-2008 20:58:18)

News reports said Lake Erie carried two modified SM-3 missiles and I'm pretty sure it was USS Russel that carried a third in case of two misses or misfires.

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Navy to shoot down broken spy satellite

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