Thread: AF General: Spy satellite could hit US

AF General: Spy satellite could hit US
By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer
Tue Jan 29, 6:54 PM ET

The U.S. military is developing contingency plans to deal with the possibility that a large spy satellite expected to fall to Earth in late February or early March could hit North America.

Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, who heads of U.S. Northern Command, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the size of the satellite suggests that some number of pieces will not burn up as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere and will hit the ground.

"We're aware that this satellite is out there," Renuart said. "We're aware it is a fairly substantial size. And we know there is at least some percentage that it could land on ground as opposed to in the water."

He added, "As it looks like it might re-enter into the North American area," then the U.S. military along with the Homeland Security Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will either have to deal with the impact or assist Canadian or Mexican authorities.

Military agencies, he said, are doing an analysis to determine which pieces would most likely survive re-entry. But he cautioned that officials won't have much detail on where or when it will crash until it begins to move through the atmosphere and break up.

Renuart added that there does not as yet appear to be much concern about sensitive technologies on the satellite falling into enemy hands.

"I'm not aware that we have a security issue," he said. "It's really just a big thing falling on the ground that we want to make sure we're prepared for."

The satellite includes some small engines that contain a toxic chemical called hydrazine — which is rocket fuel. But Renuart said they are not large booster engines with substantial amounts of fuel.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080129/ap_ ... 7v8oWWwvIE

We can only hope there is not a nuclear battery on this satellite. Only takes a little Plutonium to do damage.

W

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

We can only hope there is not a nuclear battery on this satellite. Only takes a little Plutonium to do damage.
W

I remember when that Soviet satellite with a plutonium battery crashed in Canada.

Cant they just blow the thing up in space ?

Originally Posted by GREGAGREATAMERICAN

Cant they just blow the thing up in space ?

Yes, but that would produce thousands of small parts hurtling around which might hit for example the Space Station. Or your Dish Network satellite

Originally Posted by Bowman

Originally Posted by GREGAGREATAMERICAN

Cant they just blow the thing up in space ?

Yes, but that would produce thousands of small parts hurtling around which might hit for example the Space Station. Or your Dish Network satellite

dont we have missels that would turn it to vapor...
seems like a heard some place we do

Originally Posted by GREGAGREATAMERICAN

Cant they just blow the thing up in space ?

China has the knowhow, let's ask them!