US Shoots Down Spy Satellite
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First it was the Chinese that shot down a satellite about what, a year ago? It was a test of their anti-satellite weapons system. It also made a heck of a mess in orbit. Debris flying all over the place and actually turning out to be a navigation hazard. Now the US has shot one down. The big news story is because it was carrying Hydrazine fuel, a deadly toxin, and thus they had to shoot it down to prevent a disaster.
The thing is, if you believe this is the whole story then you probably need to sign up for alcohol rehab and get your brain dried out. This was done for the primary purpose of showing the Chinese and the rest of the world that we can shoot down a satellite too. and that we can do so while it's re-entering the atmosphere at over 17,000 miles per hour... with one shot.
There was never any danger of exposure to the hydrazine fuel. The heat of re-entry would have done enough damage to the satellite that even if any significant part of it survived to impact, the tank would long since have vented the hydrazine at a safe altitude.
The other reason is that *IF* it really was a spy satellite, the govt simply didn't want to risk anyone getting hold of the technology on board.... IF any of it survived re-entry that is. This leave two reasons to shoot it down.
1) show the world that we can shoot 'em down better than anyone else.
2) cover up the fact that the satellite was nothing more than a drone launched for this exact purpose.
Technorati Tags: satellite, spy+satellite, missile, anti+satellite, weapon,, propaganda
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