Re: US to shoot down Failed satellite 10:30 ET tonight.
You guys are missing the biggest conspiracy theory.
This has nothing to do with China or satellites at all. First, yesterdays intercept was at about 133 miles above earth. Most satellites orbit at 500 miles plus. It is doubtful that the Standard Missile-3, even with an enhanced third booster stage would be effective at those altitudes.
Second, kinetic kills of satellites are messy. The space debris is mostly a menace to US interests, ie the Shuttle, and the ISS. The US has quiet kill capabilities that include seizing radio control of the satellite and telling it to turn off, de-orbit, or fly away. Additionally a high energy blast, either lasers, electronic spikes, or very soft kinetic kills are preferred to scattering debris that will take 40 year to re-enter the atmosphere.
So here is the real conspiracy theory. Earlier this year an AEGIS sistership payed a three day port call to Haifa Israel. The purpose of the port call was to test “integration capabilities”. What does that mean? Well, with a couple AEGIS boats patrolling the Israeli shore line, it would give Israel three separate layered defenses against Iranian missiles. The Aegis provides BMD, the Israeli Arrow provides slightly less capability over a shorter range, and the Patriot system provides terminal protection.
The shore call from the San Jacinco was basically to test the ability to integrate Command and Control capability with the Israelis.
So my conclusion is that this has nothing to do with China or satellites at all. This was a high visibility demonstration for Iran to let them know that Ballistic Missile Defense is operational, reliable, flexible and effective. It is also a public relations coup for the military who is trying to place similar missiles in Eastern Europe, and a big FU to the Russians who are trying to keep the BMD out of their back yard.
Feb 4, 2008 0:21 | Updated Feb 4, 2008 4:22 US anti-missile ship to dock in Haifa
By [EMAIL="[email protected]"] YAAKOV KATZ
An American missile ship set to dock at Haifa Port on Monday is equipped with an anti-missile defense system that could be deployed in the region in the event of an Iranian missile attack against Israel.
The *USS San Jacinto *is an AEGIS cruiser in the Ticonderoga Class and was commissioned in 1988. It carries the most advanced underwater surveillance system available today and is equipped with the AEGIS missile defense system, which was developed by Lockheed Martin to protect against aircraft and missiles. The ship will remain in Haifa for three days.
While the IDF developed and operates the Arrow missile defense system, defense officials said Israel has expressed interest in the AEGIS and that last year, the Defense Ministry requested information on the system from the Pentagon. During the first Gulf War in 1991, the US deployed Patriot missile batteries in Israel to defend the country against Iraqi Scud missiles.
“It is possible that one day, if we are under attack, the US will send these ships to the region to help defend us,” a defense official said. “Until then, it is important that we get to know the system, its capabilities and its interoperability with our systems.”
The *San Jacinto *can launch long-range surface-to-surface Tomahawk cruise missiles, rocket torpedoes and standard surface-to-air missiles. The heart of the AEGIS system is the SPY-1A radar system, which is capable of detecting and tracking any aircraft or missile flying within 320 kilometers. The ship has participated in operations in Iraq and Bosnia.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?c=JPArticle&cid=1202064573279&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
