Malfunctioning spy satellite USA 193

The Inquisitor · Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 772

This is the one that the US will try to knock out from the ground. This will be their first public test of an Earth-to-Space weapon and if it's successful it will be used as a propaganda piece by the US to show the rest of the world how far advanced our weapons systems are. Hey, at least we can do one thing right: end the life of another human being. We're experts in that.

Malfunctioning spy satellite USA 193 has been in the news lately because of expectations that it will reenter Earth's atmosphere in March and turn into a spectacular fireball. Reentry has not yet begun, but sky watchers are already noticing the satellite as it zips over Europe and the United States shining as brightly as a first or second magnitude star. Typical photos are shown on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

In fact, USA 193 may never reenter--at least not in one piece. Today, the Pentagon announced it will attempt to blast the satellite with a missile before its orbit decays. This would lessen the chances of dangerous satellite debris and fuel reaching the ground while increasing the population of space junk in low-Earth orbit.

Would you like to see USA 193 with your own eyes? It is about to make a series of evening appearances over many US towns and cities, beginning this weekend and continuing until the Pentagon intervenes. Flyby timetables may be found at Heavens Above (http://heavens-above.com).

obmar · Site Admin Joined: 14 Apr 2006 Posts: 5697

The Russians say it is a ploy to test the latest anti missile weaponry.

The Inquisitor · Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 772

Of course it is, obmar.

The Chinese already tested theirs a year ago. The US had to do something just as spectacular.

Here's the video of the shot:

In the middle there's a second or two when no light from the missle is shown. That's when the booster rocket is spent and discarded. Then the regular rockets of the missile kick in.

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yG1GeqTMm1I&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param>

</object>

2 minutes