President Bush has authorized the Pentagon to perform the first ever shoot down of a broken satellite in space. The busted satellite is falling out of orbit and straight back to earth, but the problem according to the President is that it’s filled with rocket fuel.

Much of the 5,000 pound satellite is expected to survive re-entry with as much as 1,000 pounds of highly toxic and extremely combustible rocket fuel called Hydrazine still on board.

Depending on where the object lands it could cause serious damage to property or even loss of life.

Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said this at today’s Pentagon briefing:

Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the “window of opportunity” for such a shootdown, presumably to be launched from a Navy ship, will open in the next three or four days and last for seven or eight days. He did not say whether the Pentagon has decided on an exact launch date.

Cartwright said this will be an unprecedented effort; he would not say exactly what are the odds of success.

“This is the first time we’ve used a tactical missile to engage a spacecraft,” Cartwright said.

After extensive study and analysis, U.S. officials came to the conclusion that, “we’re better off taking the attempt than not,” Cartwright said.

He said a Navy missile known as Standard Missile 3 would be fired in an attempt to intercept the satellite just prior to it re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. It would be “next to impossible” to hit the satellite after that because of atmospheric disturbances, Cartwright said.

A second goal, he said, is to directly hit the fuel tank in order to minimize the amount of fuel that returns to Earth.

Software associated with the Standard Missile 3 has been modified to enhance the chances of the missile’s sensors recognizing that the satellite is its target; he noted that the missile normally is used to shoot down ballistic missiles, not satellites.

I think this might also be some kind of a statement to China that we can shoot things down in space too. If you recall, China shot down a satellite some months causing worldwide outrage.

-Chris Jones

From the AP:

A large U.S. spy satellite has lost power and propulsion and could hit the Earth in late February or March, government officials said Saturday.

The satellite, which no longer be controlled, could contain hazardous materials, and it is unknown where on the planet it might come down, they said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the information is classified as secret.