The Associated Press has reported, that the Pentagon is planning to shoot down a disabled spy satellite.

U.S. officials wishing to remain anonymous have said that the Bush administration’s top choice is to fire a missile from a U.S. Navy cruiser, and shoot down the satellite. The Navy would likely shoot it down using a special missile modified for the task.

Details about the missile and the targeting were not available and will likely be publicly discussed at a Pentagon briefing.

Known by its military designation, US 193, the spy satellite was launched December 2006. It lost power and its central computer failed almost immediately afterward, leaving it dead in space. It carried a very expensive, sophisticated secret imaging sensor. US193 is said to have been built by the Lockheed Martin Corporation and operated by the secretive National Reconnaissance Office.

China sparked criticism from the U.S. and other countries on Jan. 11 2007 when they shot down a broken weather satellite.

Using a ground-based medium-range ballistic missile the aging satellite was destroyed roughly 537 miles above the earth with kinetic energy (Aka slamming into it).

The concern from U.S. and other countries was due to the resulting debris that could harm civilian and military satellite operations.

Debris is a primary focus now, as the U.S. is determining exactly when and under what circumstances to shoot down its errant satellite. By doing this the military can limit any damage to other satellites in the sky.

There is the possibility that large chunks could remain and stay in orbit where they can collide with other satellites or possibly return to Earth.

In an interview with the NY Times Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council, noted that 328 satellites had come down in the past five years without injury to anyone.

Source: Associated Press, MSNBC, CBS, Wikipedia, NY Times

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