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Satellite Intercept Video

Feb 22, '08 1:34 AM
for everyone

Finally got it. Courtesy US Navy.

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14 CommentsChronological Reverse Threaded

jvon wrote on Feb 22

Looks to me like we got the fuel tank -- these use kinetic interceptors, meaning it's basically a ramming weapon. There would not be an explosion with outgassing like that otherwise.

Amazing quality on the video considering the distance (over 100 miles).

xxrobynxx wrote on Feb 22

so what are the conspiracy theorists saying ?

tonyhubble wrote on Feb 22

Gives me a warm fuzzy every time I see it!

metis wrote on Feb 22

Guess "Star Wars" wasn't a waste of money.

jvon wrote on Feb 22

Star Wars was a good idea but 80s tech was not up to the task yet. The Russians didn't like it then and they don't now either.

lomion wrote on Feb 22

I'd love an analysis of the video. Where did you find it?

jvon wrote on Feb 22

xxrobynxx said

so what are the conspiracy theorists saying ?

No idea, but people are skeptical that it was necessary to blow it up. I personally think the explanation about the toxic fuel is probably BS, and the actual reasons are 1) there was stuff on the satellite (imaging components) that we didn't want the Russians and/or Chinese getting hold of, and 2) we wanted to demonstrate our missile defense system.

jvon wrote on Feb 22

It's up on youtube now.

lomion wrote on Feb 22

jvon said

Yes. It was very much a "look what we can do" moment. And no one really knows what's on that satellite.

jvon wrote on Feb 22

Well it's classified, no one is SUPPOSED to know what is on it. Don't believe the Chinese nonsense about us creating a dangerous situation though, that is to distract everyone from the fact that THEY blew up a satellite a couple years ago, except they did it 500 miles up where it created a debris field that endangers spacecraft and other satellites. All the junk from ours will re-enter over the course of a month or so. What I'm hearing is that there's nothing bigger than a football left intact.

lomion wrote on Feb 22

Well not just the chinese were stating this could create problems. There was, and is real risk until they do find all the debris. A football size chunk could cause a lot of damage if it hits something. This was very much theater aimed at the chinese. The chinese did something incredibly stupid and achieved their goals. What the US did was show off what the missile could do, it's effectiveness from that standpoint is still not known. We will know in the next few days.

As for what is on there, most likely they were worried about someone recovering the electronics since it was DOA from the get go. This video is unfortunately not 100% clear and appears to be two separate feeds spliced together. Conspiracy theorists will have a field day.

jvon wrote on Feb 22

It's all coming down anyway, it was within a week or so of re-entering on its own. No satellites operate at that altitude because it is not a stable orbit.

I don't know how you can say the effectiveness is not known. Everyone saw the damn thing blow up. (Not the first time they've used it either, just the first time it was on a target not launched for that specific reason.)

lomion wrote on Feb 22

Political effectiveness. It's been known that the US could down a satellite for at least 10 years. We've had that capability for a long time. So if this action will do more positive or negative from a political standpoint is what I am talking about.

If it came down on it's own there could have been recoverable electronics. People who build these things for a living have said so.

jvon wrote on Feb 22

Electronics, mirrors, who knows.

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