Military Says Missile Hit Spy Satellite
 
Resent-Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:58:21 -0600 (CST)


Military Says Missile Hit Spy Satellite
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/20/AR20080220023
23_pf.html

By ROBERT BURNS The Associated Press Wednesday, February 20, 2008;
10:54 PM

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 known.

The goal in this first-of-its-kind mission for the Navy was not
just to hit the satellite but to obliterate a tank aboard the
spacecraft carrying 1,000 pounds of a toxic fuel called hydrazine.

U.S. officials have said the fuel would pose a potential health
hazard to humans if it landed in a populated area. Although the
odds of that were small even if the Pentagon had chosen not to try
to shoot down the satellite, it was determined that it was worth
trying to eliminate even that small chance.

Officials said it might take a day or longer to know for sure if
the toxic fuel was blown up.

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