US declares 1400-mile Pacific sat-shoot exclusion zone

[katty]

more: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/19/sat_shoot_notam_airspace_warning_declared/

US declares 1400-mile Pacific sat-shoot exclusion zone
Airspace bar from surface to 'unlimited' altitude

By Lewis Page → More by this authorPublished Tuesday 19th February
2008 09:59 GMTGreen Computing - Where do you stand?

The US military has issued a warning notice barring flights above a large area of the northern Pacific for two and a half hours early on Thursday morning. The stricken spy satellite marked for destruction by US warships will pass over the taped-off area just at this time, indicating that the first shot will take place then.

The NOTAM (NOTice To AirMen) warning reads:

02/062 (A0038/08) - AIRSPACE CARF NR. 90 ON EVELYN STATIONARY RESERVATION WITHIN AN AREA BNDD BY 3145N 17012W 2824N 16642W 2352N 16317W 1909N 16129W 1241N 16129W 1239N 16532W 1842N 17057W 2031N 17230W 2703N 17206W SFC-UNL. 21 FEB 02:30 2008 UNTIL 21 FEB 05:00 2008. CREATED: 18 FEB 12:51 2008
A "CARF" (Central Altitude Reservation Function) designation indicates a NOTAM intended to keep commercial and private flights clear of military operations, and SFC-UNL means the height band of this warning zone reaches from the surface to "unlimited" altitude - in other words all the way into space. The UTC time referred to is the same as UK time, so the zone exists from 0230 to 0500 on Thursday morning for British readers.

The latitudes and longitudes can be plotted with the crippled spy sat's ground track overlaid, which has been done by satellite watcher Ted Molczan in handy pdf form here. Those running Google Earth can get a better look using this kmz file, compiled by Molczan's fellow sky-watcher Alan Clegg from the pdf.

[Hugabear]

1. On whose fucking authority?

What gives us the right to unilaterally declare large portions of international waters as a "no fly zone"?

It would be one thing if they issued an advisory suggesting that air traffic stay out of an area. But to actually bar flights from this area?

Then again, this administration is used to getting what it wants, so no surprise that it's acting like it rules the world.

[wtmusic]

2. Between 6:30-9PM tonight PST nt

[Adsos Letter]

3. Hey!

spectacular lunar eclipse tonight at that same time!

[damntexdem]

5. Eclipsing the lunar eclipse with their loonie eclipse!

[Adsos Letter]

6. ...signs in the heavens...

:scared:

[damntexdem]

4. Why not just claim the entire Pacific?

Let's see, the falling satellite might make a limited area unsafe (very unlikely, though), so we'll CLAIM we're shooting it down, making a major area of ocean unsafe. What could possibly be wrong with this picture?

[kristopher]

7. Skylab

I was a USAF command post controller in PACAF (Pacific Air Force) when Skylab fell in late '79 or early '80. They issued a similar NOTAM for that. In fact, I was cleaning out some old boxes and found a copy of it a few weeks ago.

The big issue then was the nuclear reactor that powered the satellite. The actual reentry and impact was a nonevent.

[foxer]

9. I invented the "skylab umbrella", was a little heavy though

[Deny and Shred]

8. Other aircraft could confuse the missile's guidance system.

They know how perfect conditions have to be for this satellite shot, and how inconsistently the guidance system hits its target. Once in the air, it just might go after another plane, so it is also for the other aircraft's safety. Though unilateralist hawks, I don't think they want to take down a passenger plane, if only because it would make the vaunted missile shield look rinky-dink.

[katty]

10. this is good info, thanks