Navy Prepares to Fire on Satellite Tonight

Landing clears way for military to shoot down satellite

(NEWSER) - Space shuttle Atlantis landed safely at Kennedy Space Center this morning, capping a successful 13-day mission in which it delivered Europe's first permanent lab to the International Space Station after months of delay, reports Space.com. The shuttle's return clears the way for the US Navy to shoot down a dying satellite headed toward Earth, possibly as soon as tonight. More»

Navy likely to take aim next week, after shuttle Atlantis returns

(NEWSER) - The Navy's attempt to shoot down a malfunctioning spy satellite will cost up to $60 million, CNN reports. Three Navy ships are preparing for the mission, which could take place next week, but only after the space shuttle Atlantis returns. The Navy hopes to destroy the satellite, which has half a ton of toxic fuel aboard, before it crashes to Earth in the next few weeks. More»

(NEWSER) - Space trash is becoming a serious problem, and it's long past time for housekeeping, writes the Economist. Of the 18,000 objects orbiting earth that are bigger than 4 inches across, only 900 are functioning satellites. The rest is debris, from old rocket parts and dead satellites to tools and gloves dropped by astronauts, and it poses a mounting risk to satellites crucial to communications. More»

American politicians, Asian powers fret over missile capability

(NEWSER) - The US Navy's destruction of a spy satellite on Wednesday continues to stir doubts both domestically and internationally, reports the New York Times. China issued an explicit warning yesterday, and Russia has raised questions. “The geopolitical fallout of this intercept could be far greater than any chemical fallout that would have resulted from the wayward satellite,” said House Homeland Security Committee member Edward Markey. More»

US says it needed to act before it crashed to Earth with toxic fuel

(NEWSER) - The Navy tonight struck an errant spy satellite with its first missile shot, the AP reports. A ship in the Pacific hit the satellite as it passed about 130 miles above the ocean. The military says it needed to destroy the satellite before it crashed to Earth because the toxic fuel aboard posed a risk. It will take a day or two to confirm that the fuel tank was destroyed, the AP notes. More»