Sure, it seemed like the Pentagon had things
wrapped up when they told us that they'd be aiming their rockets skyward and blasting that pesky zombie-spore and / or Alien-carrying
satellite out of the sky. Of course, they failed to tell us the price: sixty million dollars. What seemed at first to be a simple game of Missile Command has become an extensive military operation, involving modified rockets and control systems, hundreds of industry experts and scientists, as well as the Aegis sea-defense cruiser accompanied by two destroyers. The Navy will wait until the space shuttle lands next Wednesday before beginning operations, and they say they're fully prepared to bring W.O.P.R. online if anything goes wrong. The kicker? They'll probably miss.
[Thanks, Laura]
Update: Apparently Russia is calling the whole operation a
cover for the US government to test out a new anti-sat tactical missile system. Ok, we wouldn't rule that option out, but it's not like the concept of shooting down satellites is so revolutionary, right? We mean, haven't governments been capable of blowing up satellites for decades, now? Thanks, Mukul.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
stickmanfc73_ @ Feb 16th 2008 9:36AM
I can't believe that it is that hard to shoot an orbiting object down. I mean hell, isn't it cheaper to build a satellite and launch than to do this?
Aguiluz @ Feb 16th 2008 9:49AM
It would be easier to crash an old Space Shuttle to the satellite itself. Then we will have one less piece of scrap on earth! How economical.
And the astronauts? Well, sucks to be you, but at least you will be the first people to do a Space Kamikaze. You'll be popular! Or, you could chicken out and use a parachute to land safely to earth!
Derry Quinn @ Feb 16th 2008 11:34AM
What pisses me off is that their shooting it down over Ireland, my country!
JLTate @ Feb 16th 2008 12:32PM
@Derry Quinn
Last I checked Ireland wasn't an "undisclosed location in the Pacific Ocean north of the equator."
@Stickman
Have a friend throw a ping-pong ball in the air above you and try to hit it with another ping-pong ball.
Now have your friend shoot bullets from a gun, but you still only get to use a ping-pong ball. It's kinda like that.
Numetheus @ Feb 16th 2008 1:07PM
Its funny how kids or someone with little intelligence will always make comments like "wow its not that hard to do this" when the only calculation they can perform is 2+2. It is immensely difficult to shoot something like that down from the ground. I know you may think that in the real world, we are at the same level as StarWars, but you know what? That is not really the case. The target is tiny, and it is being shot from the ground without last minute guidance correction. So like someone said, its really like shooting down a moving ping pong ball with a bb.
Jherez @ Feb 16th 2008 1:19PM
And also, even though the satellite is moving at the same speed of rotation as the earth, by the time the missile reaches it will be in a different location than where it was originally aimed for, so they have to fire before the satellite moves into the designated target
packetsniffer @ Feb 16th 2008 1:55PM
It's not "that hard", really.
""The kicker? They'll probably miss." Engadget hasn't done their homework on this one.
They have a projected 80% chance of hitting the satellite on the first shot according to several reports (although not this particular one). Hardly "they'll probably miss" odds if you ask me.
stickmanfc73_ @ Feb 16th 2008 6:36PM
Eeek. I mean I would only assume it's easy to do because we launch shuttle missions routinely all the time. Corporations launch satellites all the time. I didn't think we were that far behind in missile guidance technology that they couldn't send one up to take out a satellite. I mean no crap that the satellite is moving.
How long has the government known about the satellite's potential for destruction?
Jon @ Feb 17th 2008 2:49AM
You have to understand that this satellite is going about 9km/s, or about 32,000km/h, in other words, its hauling ass. Also, the rocket will probably be going around 3-4km/s, trying to hit the satellite thats going in the opposite direction, 300 miles away.
So its equivalent to firing a bullet from 300 miles away and hitting another bullet going in the opposite direction...and that is quite hard to do, even with the best calculations there are far too many variables affecting both trajectories that it is highly probable that they will fail.
Derry Quinn @ Feb 17th 2008 1:00PM
@JLTate
Wel all the irish news agencies are going crazy over this one, see http://independant.ie
Nicky-Larson @ Feb 16th 2008 9:37AM
I am more worried about the debris that will left from this explosion. What country are they going to blow this satellite over? I hope not a poor developing nation that would definitely have little or no means to clean up the mess. I wouldn't be too sure of any help from the developed. They better plan this right coz the world is watching. Human Right Activists, anyone??
Alexander @ Feb 16th 2008 10:14AM
The pieces will be so small, they will burn up upon reentry in our atmosphere.
If the entire thing came down, I would be more worried.
John @ Feb 16th 2008 11:17AM
75% of the earth's surface is covered in water. Chances are slim as it is of the debris hitting anything but ocean.
Derry Quinn @ Feb 16th 2008 11:34AM
Ireland apparently :(
Jerome @ Feb 16th 2008 9:37AM
The chinese in January where able to destroy a satellite with a missile.
US want to prove to Chinese that they can do the same! That is why they do it, nothing else!
HAHAHA!
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003531646_chinasat190.html
Kyledl @ Mar 5th 2008 1:38PM
As if military accomplishments are nothing more than a pissing contest? Idiot. It is a very important operation, which can determine our capability of waging war against technologically advanced countries. Spy satellites are the backbone.
ace_spades @ Feb 16th 2008 9:44AM
I think our gov't its trying to prove we can do it worse, for more money! (like everything else) Why don't we ask china to do it?
Jerome @ Feb 16th 2008 9:51AM
>>Why don't we ask china to do it?
HAHA! Very good point!
You know how americain are! They would never ask help!
They where the first on the moon and now are second to destroy a satellite :P
Guess the chinese will destroy Americains if they send a man to Mars first!!!!!!
LOLL!
fanman @ Feb 16th 2008 9:51AM
Don't worry, Americans are good at hitting things or their side.
LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Feb 16th 2008 10:17AM
"As if military accomplishments are nothing more than a pissing contest? Idiot. It is a very important operation, which can determine our capability of waging war against technologically advanced countries. Spy satellites are the backbone."
@Kyledl
I take it you don't understand sarcasm very well. It also helps if you remembered what happened during the Cold War and the whole rivalry between the U.S. and Russia.
Tard.
Wwhat @ Feb 16th 2008 11:42AM
America already did successful test shooting satellites decades ago, mind you seeing that the space capabilities of america are only going backwards that doesn't say much about now I guess.
Henry @ Feb 16th 2008 2:26PM
We're not proving anything. We've had the capability to shoot down satellites since the 80s. In 1985, we shot down a satellite with an ASM-135, from an F-15.
Jonathan-DBOSS @ Feb 16th 2008 4:29PM
Its cheaper...
Jerome @ Feb 16th 2008 5:38PM
>>We're not proving anything. We've had the capability to shoot down satellites >>since the 80s. In 1985, we shot down a satellite with an ASM-135, from an F-15.
you are talking about a air to air attack. We are talking about ground to air!
that ASM-135 missile could only go up to 560km(350 miles) and max 1000km
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite are 2000km up
Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) is below 35786 km
>>We're not proving anything.
In 1957 was Sputnik 1 satellite by Soviet Union and 1 year later it is the United States 1958 Explorer 1 satellite!
no we are not proving anything...
Jason @ Feb 16th 2008 11:35PM
When we reach peak oil, China will at the other end of an energy tug-o-war. We DO have things to prove to them as they are a (powerfully) developing nation with a rising middle class/population who are soon to be (in my opinion) one of the next world superpowers; as our middle class continues to fade. The cold war is living proof that pissing contests do exist so don't be so quick to deny that. Its something we should always remember. In fact, war in general is proof. However there is no way that this is the only reason and I'm sure that the fact being this is a spy satellite has a lot to do with it. Two-birds one stone do you see? Doesnt have to be one or the other.
ugg.tryptophan @ Feb 16th 2008 11:41PM
@Jerome too bad those Americains are going to be destroyed, makes me im glad im an american,(not getting destroyed)
tekdemon @ Feb 17th 2008 2:23AM
While the US definitely does engage in such military pissing contests (and Russia apparently has already accused us of so), shooting down this particular satellite that's supposedly already dropping low in orbit (and thus going to hit the earth) would seem to be kinda silly, since the whole point of the pissing contest is to show off that you can shoot down satellites that are way deep into space because that's where everyone's (functional) spy satellites are.
This satellite is only about 260km above the ground by now, which would make it a poor choice for a pissing contest, since the satellite china shot down was 865km out into space, and a lot smaller (thus harder to hit accurately).
Since we've been able to hit farther away satellites since 1985 (that satellite was 555km out into space), it'd be pretty silly to spend this money just to prove that we can hit something bigger and closer 23 years later, lol.
So this means we're probably shooting it down to either avoid looking like a-holes when it crashes into someone's house in some country, or to avoid sensitive spy satellite parts that survive re-entry from being taken by other countries, or probably some combination of the two.
Point is, it's not very useful as a pissing contest tool, especially after we ranted about space debris to China last time, which mostly just makes us look like hypocrites.
Nubaeus @ Feb 17th 2008 12:02PM
@Fanman
Go fuck yourself you jerkoff conspiracy theorist.
dj-kenpo @ Feb 16th 2008 9:42AM
not to get low ranked or anything, but BS like this is why other parts of the world like Canada, France, Britain, Cuba for god sake all have free health care.
Imagine if the US didn't waste all it's money, and I mean really, becuase there's alot of money. not just the satelittle, this is just one example amoung many.
well hell, you might even get free university like most of europe if the US governemnt stopped pissing away all the money Americans are working for.
I dunno. if the canadican governemnt pulled bull like this they'd have a hockey stick in the jaw and be in the hospital.
Kyledl @ Feb 16th 2008 9:51AM
The candian government wont pull anything like this because we cover their butts on anything military related. We are protecting the continent. Canadians benefit from that.
Kris S. @ Feb 16th 2008 9:46AM
Get a job and pay for your own health care you lazy bum. And Cuba is a communist country you douche bag, they may have "universal health care" but the hospitals are shit, there are no bed cloths, pillows, food or nothing, the family has to bring all that stuff from home and when it comes to medical supplies and technology they are seriously lacking as well. Get an education you ignorant fool.
Charles R Hamilton @ Feb 16th 2008 9:53AM
"not to get low ranked or anything"
You already know your comment is bullshit before you even started. If America wants shitty socialized health care, we will vote for it. And until people start clamoring to get out of the USA, instead of into it, keep your socialist American hating venom to yourself.
And for the record, they will hit the satellite, whats left of it will burn up in the atmosphere, and thats the last you will here of it.
DelSource @ Feb 16th 2008 10:12AM
We don't get free healthcare. We pay for it in our taxes.
The difference is our governments spend our money more responsibly and intelligently, rather than throwing hundreds of billions of dollars into fighting a war against a country which doesn't threaten us on a lie about non-existent links to September 11. Yet, ironically, in doing so creating a new generation of international terrorism at a level we have never seen before which now threatens all Western democracies. Good Job, George W.
So guys, you keep voting for a government which wastes your hard earned money in the trillions. Beware the Red Menace!
PS Yes, the usual attack of everyone who dislikes how Americans do things must be a socialist or a commie b******. How intelligent. How typical of Americans.
GO BARAK.
Chuck @ Feb 16th 2008 10:21AM
@DelSource:
That's pretty good. I've never heard someone be so liberal and conservative (i.e., contradictory) in one paragraph. No war, but reduce government spending.
@dj-kenpo:
I don't mind paying for healthcare at all, not to mention the best healthcare money can buy. There are many reasons more people want into the country than want out, and that is one of them.
Jesse S @ Feb 16th 2008 10:37AM
If we didn't spend $8bilion a year polluting the environment through recycling, we could have free health care. For a cite, go watch Penn & Teller's Bullshit episode on recycling.
Chuck @ Feb 16th 2008 10:42AM
@Jesse-S:
We wouldn't have to worry about the 8 trillion if we stopped spending trillions of dollars on research and development to stop 'global warming'. WHAT A JOKE!
Of course, the recycling is a joke too, trying to reserve the overabundance of resources that we have.
Chuck @ Feb 16th 2008 10:43AM
Check that, we wouldn't have to worry about the 8 Billion
DelSource @ Feb 16th 2008 10:44AM
@Chuck,
You fail to describe where any contradiction lies. I did not say reduce taxes, I inferred that taxes should be spent on more worthwile and justifiable things (to say money is wasted is not to say the money should not be spent! Duh!).
Must try harder.
rodan32 @ Feb 16th 2008 11:17AM
DelSource;
Have terrorist attacks actually increased since Sept 11th, or has reporting on terrorist attacks increased? What is your source for your statement? (I know, it's futile to expect sources from a comments rant, but man.)
Is universal government-run healthcare not socialism? Seems to be one of the critical elements.
One other thought; what's the US government spending as a percentage of GDP? What's the percentage of military spending? Yeah, our government pisses away a lot of money, but we've got the money to piss away (not that I approve).
The Iraq war has been done to death, but this is my take. Saddam refused to prove he did not have WMD. The international consensus was that he did. Even Saintly Canada thought he did. He paid a bounty to suicide bombers. The links to Al Qaeda are now really pretty clear (even though Saddam had no connection to the 9/11 attack, that wasn't really the point). The risk of him providing biological agents to a terrorist group was too high. I know, you've watched a lot of Vietnam War movies, war is hell, I know, I know, I know, blah blah blah.
Also, there's no red scare in the US. Communism pretty much got its ass kicked, and countries with free markets are by far the most wealthy (with great economic side effects for less-free mooching neighbors to the north - I kid!).
I just get the sense that a lot of folks on the interwebs believe the first thing they hear, don't have a sense of history or context, and don't have the patience to really look into things.
And Canada, we love you guys, we'll protect you with our navy and air force if we ever need to, and we respect the differences in our cultures. But really, bugger off.
Wwhat @ Feb 16th 2008 11:44AM
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/02/15/brit-robots-put-phone-mast-moon
enough said.
Wwhat @ Feb 16th 2008 11:57AM
We should all print out rodan32's post as a testament of american ignorance and boundless stupidity, he's a textbook example and it would be a waste to let it go to waste.
And send copies to the leaders of all countries so they can have a laugh and know what they are dealing with when talking to the US, I think it would better the world.
andrewyamp @ Feb 16th 2008 12:01PM
Rodan,
You're take on the Iraq war should sound more like this:
"We went in there and destroyed a relatively secular, stable government and replaced it with an unstable breeding gown for Islamic extremism, the consequences of which are going to be felt for the foreseeable future. And this is regardless of whether or not we some how manage to prop up the government we’ve built there and establish some sort of security, the damage has already been done. Not to mention siphoned resources from Afghanistan where we actually had a conceivable reason to be... oh and lets not forget that our healthcare system is going banckrupt "
Kyledl @ Feb 16th 2008 3:10PM
To people jumping on the terrorist breeding ground conclusion:
Hindsight is always 20/20. Do i agree with our country being in iraq/afghanistan? no. but i am not going to sit on a high horse saying "i told you so" when in reality you people werent and are never going to be in the streets protesting it, just arguing on the engadget comment section hitting your negative vote button. grow a pair.
dj-kenpo @ Feb 16th 2008 1:20PM
wow. the ignorance is mind boggling.
to the "we protect canada". from who? don't piss people off and you won't need protection.
and "get a job and pay for your own health care"? it's like the stupid kid that drops out of high school, you want to help them not be stupid but in the end the best thing to do is shrug your shoulders and walk away because they're clearly happy being stupid and anything you say will just piss em off.
my job pays for my health care. so that if i got into a car accident with my friends I wouldn't have to ehar 'your wife (etc) is dead, oh and you owe us 40,000 dollars for your surgery. have a nice day!".
clearly if you think america has the top medical system you've never gotten sick in another country. it's not top quality by a long shot.
the genral idea here is I am clearly a dick becuase I suggest there are better ways to spend money than waste it.
your economy is failing and quite clearly it deserves too if you're going to be ignorant about why. how many billions of dollars is the US in debt now? or is CNN censoring that from you?
coredump @ Feb 17th 2008 1:18PM
@chuck
It would seem that for quite some time, money can buy you better health care in more than one country (http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0505/p02s01-uspo.html). Other than that, I believe it's the health care you can get if you don't have the money that is causing all the discussion.
magellan @ Feb 16th 2008 2:09PM
@ dj-kenpo
You had me on your side until you said "from who? don't piss people off and you won't need protection".
Really? It's all about just pissing people off? Wait until Russia is claiming territory in Northern Canada for trade routes, energy or even your growing diamond industry. Do you think they would think twice about taking them all from you if you weren't our neighbor and protected by American military power? In fact, they are already trying to do this by putting flags at the bottom of the sea saying this is Russian territory.
As for this satellite issue, it is clearly a public display of our missile defense system. It better work or a lot of people will look like fools.
dj-kenpo @ Feb 18th 2008 12:20PM
wow megellan, talk about paranoia. I bet russia would just swoop right in and steal of of canada if not for the US... right.
the flag was an accomplishment becuase they went down deep. canadians seem to of understood this, and patted them on the back. it was mostly only the americans that got their panties tight over it.
americas guns don't protect canada, they do the opposite. it's like the 'protection' you get if you're a small business owner from the mafia.
most canadians are afraid of getting attacked BECAUSE ofthe worlds hatred for the US.
Vagrant @ Feb 16th 2008 9:48AM
We've seen what the shuttle can do. (Moonraker anyone?)
Just have it swing by on the way home and blast it. After that, it's all about auto-pilot and Dr. Holly Goodhead.
Chuck @ Feb 16th 2008 10:24AM
Apparently it's not that easy. Not to sound rude, but I imagine the guys over at NASA have a little more knowledge of the situation :-)
tcc3 @ Feb 16th 2008 11:31AM
{wooooosh!}