one shot, one kill

[Rave]

We are really glad that they got it,let others look at it as writing on the wall,we can do it!

[The_Patriot]

Originally Posted by Farmer

That can hit something 250km away traveling at 14,000mph.

Why are there any enemies left in the world?

Targeting and intelligence.

Weapon capabilities don't mean all that much unless you know where and when to employ them.

Oh, and that pesky political thing. Shrug.

Originally Posted by Seabeescotty

Them boys on the boats can do some long range shooting!! I'm a bit jealous, they can hit a target they can't see!! Even in the old days, they were lobbing one ton surprises in for the NVA to try to dodge. Hats off to our defenders!!

No offense to the Navy (they did a great job), but a lot more credit goes to the engineers, project officers, etc., that developed that weapon system. They had the hardest job, and they developed one heck of an awesome capability. MANY people worked long, hard hours, had tough deadlines, etc., to build such a thing. Lots of testing, refinement, work, work, work. Don't forget them, and most of them are civilians. The guys on the ship got the glory, but thousands of others made it possible...and it took YEARS to do so.

Originally Posted by ArkansasHunter

This kind of News make me very PROUD of my Country !!!!

I'm always proud, but you're right, it sparks something special. I'm glad Bush gave the go-ahead on this, despite Russia and China's objections. Screw them. We bend way too much, glad we didn't on this one.

Originally Posted by Alleydude

What comes around, goes around...

I'd put my money on the ones on the right.

[mym1a]

Originally Posted by LarryO1970

I'm thinking from two schools of thought here:

1. Classified systems... yeah, destroy before falling into "different" hands.

2. Hydrazine. Very deadly stuff... that amount could kill thousands, easily.

... excellent job by our Navy, even from an Air Force guy...

what is the chances of it just burning up when re-entering???

[Coeloptera]

Originally Posted by mym1a

what is the chances of it just burning up when re-entering???

Lower than you'd think. Refined metals don't tend to burn and break up as well as space rocks, which are full of impurities and surface irregularities. Most incoming sats are small enough that isn't usually an issue. If this one was sizable, a good portion of it was likely to make it all the way down. The hazardous materials stated to be inside are also an issue. I suppose letting it disperse in the upper atmosphere is a safer alternative.

And of course there was likely classified technology on board we didn't want anyone else to have. But we have to make polite political noises because apparently half of diplomacy is publicly lying to people who know you're lying to them.

Still and all, an impressive bit of work on the parts of all involved (that includes the engineers as well as the sailors). I dislike the idea of militarizing any space technology, but once we had reentry vehicle missiles, it was foregone. Fortunately, stuff like that is reserved for "real" countries that are unlikely to ever use it due to MAD. So little rogue nations and crazy terrorist groups can't really ever use the sort of technology we'd use this to defend against.

- Coeloptera

[AKHunter]

China Russia

I sure am glad they hit it ! Damn fine show !

[LarryO1970]

Originally Posted by Coeloptera

Lower than you'd think. Refined metals don't tend to burn and break up as well as space rocks, which are full of impurities and surface irregularities. Most incoming sats are small enough that isn't usually an issue. If this one was sizable, a good portion of it was likely to make it all the way down. The hazardous materials stated to be inside are also an issue. I suppose letting it disperse in the upper atmosphere is a safer alternative.

And of course there was likely classified technology on board we didn't want anyone else to have. But we have to make polite political noises because apparently half of diplomacy is publicly lying to people who know you're lying to them.

Still and all, an impressive bit of work on the parts of all involved (that includes the engineers as well as the sailors). I dislike the idea of militarizing any space technology, but once we had reentry vehicle missiles, it was foregone. Fortunately, stuff like that is reserved for "real" countries that are unlikely to ever use it due to MAD. So little rogue nations and crazy terrorist groups can't really ever use the sort of technology we'd use this to defend against.

- Coeloptera

... I doubt most people will care about little parts not completely burning up upon re-entry to out atmosphere... hopefully they fall harmlessly into uninhabited areas.

The hydrazine is the most concerning part. I would hope the Navy intentionally hit that canister directly to ensure its' destruction as that was the most deadly/important component. That, while not classified in any way, is the most lethal part of the entire satellite.

[AKHunter]

According the the A.P. article I read in this mornings paper, the aim and intent of the missle strike was to make a direct hit on the fuel module. The article also stated that the Navy said it would know within 24 hours whetether or not the fuel cell was destroyed. I expect we will hear perhaps this evening if not tomorrow. It will be even more impressive should they have had that level of success.

[Nanders]

With this good of a military, I have to assume that those who want to be our enemies are incredibly warped.

[LarryO1970]

Originally Posted by Nanders

With this good of a military, I have to assume that those who want to be our enemies are incredibly warped.

... nah, they are incited into martyrdom or the ideals instilled in them and could care less how accurate we are or what we can do.

... my guess is that China and Russia are panicking because they can't do what we just did. Watch for further "strife" by Russia over putting these systems on land based areas in western Europe. My opinion... I see them reverting back to the old USSR.

[Nanders]

you could very well be right

[Brother Bob]

Could you all imagine what we could do to a nation or continent if we really got mad? China and Russia would be gone in 5 seconds. Two Trident subs could unleash enough fire power to kill billions of people. We have missiles that you can fire from here and put in a certain window of a building half way across the world. That's some scary chit! LOL!

[Farmer]

But why did the US govt scream at China when they shot down one of theirs last year?

[daddyo]

Originally Posted by Farmer

But why did the US govt scream at China when they shot down one of theirs last year?

Partially because its more fun if we're the only ones with the really cool toys. A bigger reason is that the Chinese satellite was in a much higher orbit and created a cloud of shrapnel that will remain for years posing a hazard to the space station and other satellites. The US satellite was just about to enter the atmosphere. They basically blew it up as it was about to burn up.

[Bravo]

Originally Posted by daddyo

Partially because its more fun if we're the only ones with the really cool toys. A bigger reason is that the Chinese satellite was in a much higher orbit and created a cloud of shrapnel that will remain for years posing a hazard to the space station and other satellites. The US satellite was just about to enter the atmosphere. They basically blew it up as it was about to burn up.

Plus because we knew China would yell at us:

China and Russia cry foul after over satellite - Times Online

FYI, China and Russia are angry because we supposedly used weapons in space, which there is a treaty against?

But the SM-3 Missile that we use as a defense system isn't any more of a weapon than the thousands of satellites that we have. It's a chunk of metal with a heatseeking device...that's it. There are no explosives, so you either hit your target or nothing happens.

The US Military claims that they shot it down to prevent the hydrazine tank from impacting the earth surface intact. If it did so, anyone within about 2 football fields of area would be in very big trouble...as in being dead. It's unlikely that anything else would have survived the trip through the atmosphere.

I'm thinking that Russia, and especially China could really care less about using a missile to take down our satellite. China crying fowl here is making them look like a hypocrite. I think they're really upset because they didn't get a chance to potentially see some very cool spy technology. Oh well

[RockB]

Originally Posted by Rem 742 30-06

I feel safer against missile attacks to so congrats to the navy thank you for the piece of mind you have given me.

How long did they have to calibrate/program the missile system to shoot down something that they

1. Knew was there.
2. Knew the future trajectory fairly well.

Days, Weeks, Months..?

If it were a missile that was fired 10 minutes earlier would they have been able to do the same thing? At this point I doubt it.

Not to knock the folks that accomplished this but I do not think that this system could defend us in the event of a missile attack. But you have to start somewhere and who knows. There may be something up there that will defend us in then event of missile attack. If so they could not use it to shoot down the satellite and tip our hand that such a system existed.

[Bravo]

Actually, a couple of years ago the US Gov started to first test this Missile defense system. Please remember that this system isn't designed to shoot satellites, it's supposed to be a Missile chaser.

In the past, the Navy would launch a missile straight into space from some point in the US. Another Navy ship would then be notified by radar of the launch, and fire one of these SM-3 missiles to hone in and destroy it before it's payload can return to earth. The success rate of these tests was something on the order of 80%. Not too great, but the program was young, and there was little to no notice time of when the missile was going to be fired.

This test was completely different. SM-3 Missiles go after heat. This satellite never worked, and as a result was very cold. To produce a heat signature, they had to wait for the sun to warm it up. They also had to wait for the satellite to reach a certain altitude, in order to not damage other satellites. Once these 2 key points were reached, they were able to fire.

How these SM-3's work is a big secret, and that's a good thing. It must use radar, but I don't know how you pick up a floating chunk of cold metal and hit it with a heat seeking missile.