Bus-Sized Satellite Headed Towards Earth

Officials Say U.S. Spy Satellite Will Re-enter The Atmosphere In About A Month

(AP)  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 reconnaissance 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.

[savalro]

Why don''t the appropriate government officials monitor the situation before it gets to this level? Isn''t there anything they can do to prevent this from happening? It seems to me that this sort of thing has happened enough times to warrant concern and action. I feel this is just plain recklessness on our government''s part. They can classify it whatever they want; I classify it a homicide if it falls on a populated area and people die. They are no better than a drunk driver killing someone, because like the drunk driver, they are responsible for it happening.

[grazinggoat]

Any charitable soul willing to give a 100,000$ for a contest predicting the exact location of impact of this satellite so Walking Liar could be invited there, getting the USA rid of this National Catastrophe.

[olebd]

Somebody is not going to be able to enjoy their rebate check.

[olebd]

Is this something that is covered under homeowners insurance?

[fstop100]

Our military would never do anything to hurt us....NOT

[blue922]

Get rid of the nukes and you wont need to monitor them. First step though is to get rid of CIA which is only part of a government now out of control. Ike tried to warn us and likey JFK was doing to tell us.

[klingon69]

Posted by olebd
Must have bought this piece of junk from Wal-Mart.

100% made in the USA by US engineers that vote for Republicon thieves such as Tom Delay!

Posted by neoconism at 01:30 PM : Jan 27, 2008
Didn''t get it at Wally World then, all their stuffs from China now.

[klingon69]

I agree! Hopefully TEXAS!
Posted by usmcvn at 01:09 PM : Jan 27, 2008
Maybe along the border.

[klingon69]

What goes up! Must come down! Now if it could only hit mortgage companies and banks...
Posted by gheemaster38 at 11:49 AM : Jan 27, 2008
Just one, The Federal Reserve.

[klingon69]

Russia and China have spy satellites and we sure as hell need them too. Satellites do things like monitor compliance with nuclear weapons treaties and are key to the defense of the US. Just because Bush misused intelligence doesn''''t make getting intelligence bad.
Posted by Rafterman1 at 11:43 AM : Jan 27, 2008
Yes, you are right. Just that our leaders, in their ignorance and arrogance, either misuse or ignore it causing all this atrocity

[klingon69]

Wasn''t this storyline used in the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD movie?

[j-whitman]

payasyougo,,,, Yep, so much for the power of prayer

[payasyougo]

Odds are it will not hit where it would do the most good.

[j-whitman]

On the side of the bus are the words - Jesus Saves

It''s the Ruptrue

[ubrew12]

downtowner97 said: "What vehicle launched this "bus-sized" satellite?"
Titan

[downtowner97]

What vehicle launched this "bus-sized" satellite?

[ubrew12]

nmsuip said: "Another example of deteriorating product quality. You get what you pay for. "
You have no idea how wrong you are. When republicans say they don''t approve of government spending, they DONT mean military spending. Republicans never met a government sacred cash cow for the military that they DIDNT love.

These military assets cost at LEAST five times what similar commercial assets would cost. The military industrial complex can charge such exhorbitant prices because its noncapitalist, noncompetitive, and has the govt over a barrel. Indeed, if your looking for a prime example of what Republicans call ''wasteful socialized spending'' in America, you need look no further than the stuff the military buys.

It''s the ultimate irony. Republicans ARENT against socialism. They''re just against socialism for poor people. Republicans support socialized spending for farmers, old people, and the military industrial complex: all reliable die-hard Republicans at the ballot-box, and therefore ''deserving'' of socialized spending.

[prairiefox1]

The buzz in an article at Rense.com is that it contains plutonium...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Prinzowhales
@@@@@@@@@@@@@
YOU CAN SAFELY HANDLE PLUTONIUM AS LONG AS YOU DON''T INGEST IT!

[nmsuip]

Another example of deteriorating product quality. You get what you pay for. The reason that corporations claim they can recklessly cut costs while delivering "quality" products is because they have lowered consumers'' "quality" expectations. Consider household appliances as an example. How long did your last microwave last? How long did your parents'' microwave last? My experience is something like 10 years 7 years 2 years. But sleep well. "...Appropriate government agencies are monitoring the situation..."

[nirak2-2009]

This makes me nervous knowing a bus size satellite might drop somewhere and I hope it drops on the White House while Bush and Cheney still occupy it.