Defunct satallite could hit Earth.

[Subrick]

By EILEEN SULLIVAN, Associated Press Writer

1 minute ago

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

The satellite, which no longer can 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.

"Appropriate government agencies are monitoring the situation," said Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council, when asked about the situation after it was disclosed by other officials. "Numerous satellites over the years have come out of orbit and fallen harmlessly. We are looking at potential options to mitigate any possible damage this satellite may cause."

He would not comment on whether it is possible for the satellite to be perhaps shot down by a missile. He said it would be inappropriate to discuss any specifics at this time.

A senior government official said that lawmakers and other nations are being kept apprised of the situation.

Such an uncontrolled re-entry could risk exposure of U.S. secrets, said John Pike, a defense and intelligence expert. Spy satellites typically are disposed of through a controlled re-entry into the ocean so that no one else can access the spacecraft, he said.

Pike also said it's not likely the threat from the satellite could be eliminated by shooting it down with a missile, because that would create debris that would then re-enter the atmosphere and burn up or hit the ground.

Pike, director of the defense research group GlobalSecurity.org, estimated that the spacecraft weighs about 20,000 pounds and is the size of a small bus. He said the satellite would create 10 times less debris than the Columbia space shuttle crash in 2003.

As for possible hazardous material in the spacecraft, Pike said it might contain beryllium, a light metal with a high melting point that is used in the defense and aerospace industries.

Jeffrey Richelson, a senior fellow with the National Security Archive, said the spacecraft likely is a photo reconnaisance satellite. Such eyes in the sky are used to gather visual information from space about adversarial governments and terror groups, including construction at suspected nuclear sites or militant training camps. The satellites also can be used to survey damage from hurricanes, fires and other natural disasters.

The largest uncontrolled re-entry by a NASA spacecraft was Skylab, the 78-ton abandoned space station that fell from orbit in 1979. Its debris dropped harmlessly into the Indian Ocean and across a remote section of western Australia.

In 2000, NASA engineers successfully directed a safe de-orbit of the 17-ton Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, using rockets aboard the satellite to bring it down in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean.

In 2002, officials believe debris from a 7,000-pound science satellite smacked into the Earth's atmosphere and rained down over the Persian Gulf, a few thousand miles from where they first predicted it would plummet.

[phil]

So the sky isn't falling?

[The Don]

*insert 12/21/12 reference here*

[Subrick]

I guess the Mayans were wrong then.

[Niles Jansen The Third]

Or maybe Subrick is wrong.

We can always cover the Mayans asses by saying that the actual birth of Jesus Christ was miscalculated by 5 or so years, meaning this year could actually be 2012 years after the birth of Christ.

Yeah, suck on it.

[Subrick]

Yeah, they always tell me that in history, so I may be wrong.

[Niles Jansen The Third]

YEA!

[Mr Sparkle]

If its going to hit anywhere it'll hit Yorkshire for sure!

[Subrick]

No, it's gonna hit France, or Canada.

[Big Bizang]

Also plague is coming back, killer bees will eat your loved ones and muggers will rape your children while AIDs eats your eyeballs. KEEP BEING SCARED!

[phil]

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself or the single thing that has an unlockable psychological vice grip upon us.

[Spectre]

Also plague is coming back, killer bees will eat your loved ones

We must be running out of loved ones, cause the bees are starving. there has been a lot loss in bee population.

this Sucks, i blame Toki for not caring about anyone.

Edited January 27, 2008 by TV's Joe Lauzon

[bigpoppn]

Damn US bastards.

Luckily, there's a supersmall chance it'd hit Belgium.

[The Don]

I'm still waiting for zombies to overrun the earth.

[jitz]

If they do, I'm hoping it's nothing like Dead Rising. Shooting zombies should be fun, not a chore that nestles between repetitive and monotonous.

[Nemo]

the merchant doesnt sell ammo. wtf is that shit? yeah, i'll take a fucking handgun with one clip. thanks for nothing, asshole.

i kill the merchant. every time.