AF General: Spy satellite could hit US

[TechBear_Seattle]

Not sure if this has been posted here yet.

AF General: Spy satellite could hit US

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military is developing contingency plans to deal with the possibility that a large spy satellite expected to fall to Earth in late February or early March could hit North America.

Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, who heads of U.S. Northern Command, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the size of the satellite suggests that some number of pieces will not burn up as the orbiting vehicle re-enters the Earth's atmosphere and will hit the ground.

...

A U.S. official confirmed that the spy satellite is designated by the military as US 193. It was launched in December 2006 but almost immediately lost power and cannot be controlled. It carried a sophisticated and secret imaging sensor but the satellite's central computer failed shortly after launch. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the information is classified as secret.

Renuart added that, "As it looks like it might re-enter into the North American area," then the U.S. military along with the Homeland Security Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will either have to deal with the impact or assist Canadian or Mexican authorities.

The full article can be read at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080130/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/dead_satellite

I haven't been able to find out: who launched this sattelite in the first place?

[thereismore]

1. Raise Reagan from the dead, we need SDI! nt

[ORDagnabbit]

2. I love our mitlitary industrial complex....... so many secrets.... probably has plutonium on it.

[Tesha]

5. No, just hydrazine (rocket fuel). (NT)

[lonestarnot]

10. That was my first scared thought.

No one has confirmed or denied the presence of plutonium on board. It's a fucking secret.

[Tesha]

3. 'Only seems fair, doesn't it? (NT)

[Faux pas]

9. My exact first thought. n/t

[kentuck]

4. Karma would dictate that it hit a certain ranch in Texas...

That would make a lot of believers. :-)

[PerpetuallyDazed]

6. The sky is falling!!!

From another poster, about us nearly missing a devastating asteroid: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=228x37852

[annabanana]

7. Maybe they'll pinpoint 100 - 200 "possible sites" for smackdown

and lock everyone up.... evacuate lots of people... stop traffic... turn off the power...etc etc

[TechBear_Seattle]

8. Pity it isn't scheduled to fall in October

Too bad Rove isn't around any more, he could have arranged things to be more convenient.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

11. yep, it COULD hit the US

but if they cannot even identify the date on which it will come down then they have NO IDEA where it will hit!!!

sP

[Igel]

16. You state the obvious.

But one wise professor once told me, it's invariably a good idea, since so few people notice the obvious and even fewer are willing to go on record stating it.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

17. while you and i are confronted by the obvious

the people reporting on this story are missing it and the people 'providing the info' are providing nothing of substance...but in today's world of reporting, THAT makes a good story!

sP

[Johonny]

12. if you want to know who launched what

http://www.sciencepresse.qc.ca/clafleur/Spacecrafts-index.html

Is a great place to check.

[Johonny]

14. Quick look

http://claudelafleur.qc.ca/Spacecrafts-2006.html#NROL-21

Launch details on the satellite. Should tell you what you wanted to know.

[TechBear_Seattle]

18. So it was the US

And by the "U.S. National Reconnaissance Office." I'm guessing the office was set up long before Doublespeak became a national passtime?

[Johonny]

19. well

I doubt people should be angry with the NRO. It's not like they wanted their satellite to fail. My guess is the satellite was designed and built under a contract made during the period when the Republican congress went to the no oversight system of space operation. Which resulted a large number of failures. So if I were looking for someone to blame, it's most likely the Republican congresses fault.

[originalpckelly]

13. If I get killed by one of these pieces, my ass is going to haunt the SOBs.

GDamnit! I'm so sick of this weirdo USSA!

[UTUSN]

15. What some of us have suspected: Under attack from our own govt n/t

[onethatcares]

20. let's send chuck norrise to kick it to pieces.

he could be the first martial arts guy ever to kick an out of control spy sattelite to pieces. The huckster himself could give him a blessing or sumpin.

[irish.lambchop]

21. I'm going to be in a plane the end of Feb.

making my way across the Atlantic. I'll let you know if I see anything :) On second, thought, maybe I should be nervous!

[Thothmes]

24. Probably Have

better odds of winning the lottery as to being hit by this thing.

[Ganja Ninja]

22. Where's that really successful ABM system we've been shelling

out billions for? Surely by now we ought to be able to knock down one of our own satellites.

[mtnester]

23. The bih hullballoo over this brings to mind the following movie

Space Cowboys





Does that look like a communications satellite?