Satellite smash was fine-tuned in flight

steve smyth — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:33:01 GMT

is the forced launch delay a first?
I wanna be able to say I was around for the first space debris delay...GEEZ!
Reminds me of the first time I ever saw a plastic grocery bag blowing around while hanging on a fence or utility line...it hasn't stopped yet.
Maybe in a milennium, or so, we'll start in with 'Save Space', instead of 'Save the Earth'...scare kids into being conscious of our cluttering the void prior to what will be called 'pollution'...remind ya of anything?
Let's clean up one mess before another starts getting out of hand, eh Kids?

Satellite smash was fine-tuned in flight

Ian Divertie, Rochester, MN — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:30:57 GMT

I am not very surprised actually about the degree of accuracy possible.

Satellite smash was fine-tuned in flight

Donald L. Banks Jr., Vanceboro, North Carolina — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 01:07:01 GMT

I'm surprised that it was the Navy that did the shoot-down when the Air Force has a stockpile of ASAT(Anti SATille) missiles that are fired from F-15s. Why spend piles of money on a missile that isn't designed and tested to shoot down satilles when you can use a missile that is and aren't even being used. That just don't sound right to me.

Satellite smash was fine-tuned in flight

KB Seattle Washinton — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:14:03 GMT

If I recall corectly the missle has thrusters for direction.The kinetic kill projectile has thusters for fine tunning the hit, this is not a war head in sence because the thrusters fuell is non exposive in space. Why a navy ship and not land based or fighter loft. Because it hasent been done before. It is like climbing MT.Rainer for the first time.I hope our Flag was on the side of the projectile. Made in U.S.A.

Satellite smash was fine-tuned in flight

Doug Fingles, Warner Robins, GA — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:18:16 GMT

To Donald Banks, RE: Stockpiles of ASAT weapons. Only 15 ASM-135s were ever ordered and 6 of those were used in test flights, as for the remaining 9, they were scrapped after the program was terminated in 1988. The two captive carry versions are at the AF Museum and the National Air and Space Museum.

Satellite smash was fine-tuned in flight

john mckune, boulder, co — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:01:32 GMT

NORAD is up to 55 pieces of debris today (only 52 with published orbits). This total will likely increase every day as more objects are confirmed and cataloged. Some of the objects gained enough energy to throw their apogees up to over 2500 km. These seem to be decaying at a rate of roughly 30 meters/day, so it will be about 3 months before it all re-enters.