Experts Scoff at Satellite Shoot-Down Rationale

[LoZoccolo]

The Pentagon says it has to shoot down a malfunctioning spy satellite because of the threat of a toxic gas cloud. Space security experts are calling the rationale "comedic gold."

Yesterday, Deputy National Security Advisor James Jeffrey said the satellite's tank full of hydrazine rocket propellant was the main reason the military was planning to blast the orbiter. There's a small but real risk that the hydrazine tank could rupture, releasing a "toxic gas" over a "populated area," causing a "risk to human life."

But, as we noted yesterday, Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Gen. James Cartwright cast the threat from the satellite in much less dire terms. Even if the hydrazine were released, he noted, the effects would likely be mild -- akin to chlorine gas poisoning, which can cause burning in the lungs, and elsewhere. The area affected would be "roughly the size of two football fields incur something that would make you go to the doctor."

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/02/fishy-rationale.html

There's a lot more, including some analysis by a "space security specialist".

[ThomWV]

1. The only reason to shoot down a satellite is to show the world you CAN shoot down a satellite.

[ixion]

3. exactly...and wouldn't it be funny if they missed

:rofl:

keystone cops.

[cbayer]

2. I believe they are afraid it will get into the "wrong" hands.

It is a spy satellite. The whole hydrazine gas rationale just doesn't cut it.

[LeftyMom]

4. If rocket fuel is so dangerous, could the feds please get it the fuck out of our groundwater?

Thanks to the aerospace industry and military bases (both mostly gone now) the water here's badly contaminated with it, enough that it shows up measurably in lettuce and other crops.

[wuushew]

5. Does anyone have the orbital track of this satellite?

I am curious what Middle Eastern or Asian countries this satellite passes over.


I also agree that the hydrazine angle is bullshit. If the alleged toxicity was newsworthy why wait a couple of weeks after it became public the satellite would fall to Earth? It smacks of post facto prevarication :shrug:

[wuushew]

8. Looks like it has a nice path over northern China

[Rex]

6. The Pentagon is jealous of China's penis size.

And now must prove they too have a large, larger penis than China. :eyes:

Er, did I say penis? I meant rocket. :eyes:

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

7. Will the Chinese lodge a formal diplomatic protest?

the way the U.S. protested the Chinese shoot-down of a satellite last year? While I think that the development of satellite shoot-down technology is warranted since other countries are doing it, the Pentagon could at least level with the American people as to what their actual intentions are, instead of this very transparent excuse.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/01/18/china.missile/index.html

[Dumak]

9. One thing I have learned

You can never, ever, take anything you hear from this administration on face value.

[cloudbase]

10. Oops!

We missed the satellite, and the missile landed in Iran. Sorry about that.

[mzmolly]

11. Bush is just pandering to his few remaining supporters.