We shot down that satellite:
WASHINGTON (AP) – A missile launched from a Navy ship successfully struck a dying U.S. spy satellite passing 130 miles over the Pacific on Wednesday, a defense official said. Full details were not immediately available.
It happened just after 10:30 p.m. EST.
Two officials said the missile was launched successfully. One official, who is close to the process, said it hit the target. He said details on the results were not immediately known.
The goal in this first-of-its-kind mission for the Navy was not just to hit the satellite but to obliterate a tank aboard the spacecraft carrying 1,000 pounds of a toxic fuel called hydrazine.
U.S. officials have said the fuel would pose a potential health hazard to humans if it landed in a populated area. Although the odds of that were small even if the Pentagon had chosen not to try to shoot down the satellite, it was determined that it was worth trying to eliminate even that small chance.
Blogs For Victory 
Yeah, this test shows SDI will work when Russia, China and North Korea give us 30 days notice and give us time to sail a US warship into the re-entry path of the warhead.
I am a bit skeptical of the implied claim that a flailing satellite in the upper atmosphere is the equivalent of an ICBM in flight with multiple warheads programmed to strike specific targets in the US. It would seem to be a bit of a stretch.
That it worked might explain why there have been none of the activity (lots of planes taking off and landing) at Offutt AFB tonight. It was reported locally that they would be helping in coordinating and tracking the whole mission. Last couple of nights there has been a lot of traffic, as if planes were being sent some where, or practice of flights of planes if a different shot needed to be taken.
Ah the grumps even have to show up on this thread and tell us yet again how much our military sucks. Guess what dickweeds, this is simply a step.
Left – thanks. Now write Russia and China and tell them this wasn’t a missile test. geeeezzz, I wish you guys would call Party Headquarters to get your stories straight. Oh wait, your not communists anymore – just socialists. OK. My mistake.
You liberals are just pathetic – this is a moment to be proud of your Navy…oh, I forgot: Mrs. Obama says we can only be proud of our nation as personified by Barack…
China shot a weather satellite out of space last year.
It is nice to know we are only one year behind the Chinese in Earth to Space weapons systems.
To prevent the spread of National Socialism, or Obamunism. I’d like to recommend the Navy shoot down MSNBC, CNN and other lib media satelites as well.
CW, well I guess. I wonder why Russia and China are proposing a ban on space weapons? Must be because they think we don’t have any.
No one would suspect that the enemies of America would try to ban us from protecting our nation from attack with space borne missles.
Its totally unheard of.
yeah – Like Mark said ‘ be PROUD of our army’ we kick ass…
ha ha ha ha ha ha . and ha. Perhaps I should role around in the mud and have intercourse with my sister now?
WOW…great job, you hit a dying satellite entering earth’s athmosphere….Mark, your a tool and a complete idiot when it comes to any serious matter. Why don’t you crawl in a hole somewhere. Loser.
You liberals are just pathetic – this is a moment to be proud of your Navy
Mark, don’t misunderstand, everyone is proud that this was accomplished. I’m impressed that it worked.
However……… don’t go think that it means anything. Unless our enemies are going to launch a schoolbus at us that is slowly tumbling toward Earth and they let us know a month in advance.
If that is the scenario we are preparing for, then great! We are protected.
If the point is that now we know we can shoot down a missle that is hurtling at high speeds towards us launched with no notice at all…. then you have some serious freaking issues.
I expected them to hit the satellite. We have been able to take out satellites.for some time because the trajectory is known. As stated above, this is a far cry from being able to deffend our nation from military weapons(ICBM’s). Once again, Mark turns nothing into something.
The ignorance of liberals is astounding! When they are in denial anything it really shows.
Russia and China do not want this system to be deployed? Why is that? If it is such a failure, then why are they strongly opposed?
“you hit a dying satellite entering earth’s athmosphere”
“that is slowly tumbling toward Earth”
You two lib morons, the “dying satellite” that is “slowly tumbling” to Earth was traveling at what 17,000MPH!!! The navy still had to track the satellite from intercept launch time to the point of impact to guide the missile to target. According to you two lib morons that is a simple task. Also, it was a pinpoint impact by a missile flying at a much slower speed. That is like you trying to hit the SR-71 with a rock.
ICBM trajectories after laucnh can be calculated, it is simple physics. Once the launch body has staged away from the warhead, the warhead is just a free falling body at that point, incapable of manuevering and can be intercepted. Granted it would be harder than the satellite, but one important thing is that the speed of a reentering warhead will be less than the satellite because physics demand it. The satellite was launched at speeds to maintain its orbit, while a warhead is not meant to be an orbiting vehicle.
According to these dumb ass libs and using their “logic”, the Mercury test flights were complete failures because they did not land on the moon. Like the Mercury missions, this was a logical step in building a system that could protect us from ICBMs. But since their hated nemesis proposed it, they will never acknowledge anything and keep reguritating the propaganda of failure. They are not called USEFUL IDIOTS for nothing.
“But since their hated nemesis proposed it, they will never acknowledge anything and keep reguritating the propaganda of failure. They are not called USEFUL IDIOTS for nothing.”
Right back at ya!
dude, WHO cares they shot it down. WHO GIVES A RATS ASS!!! seriously, only you conservatives would bring it up and turn it into a great victory for your dear leader!!!
Worry about your economy, about your soldiers losing in Iraq and Afghanistan, worry about the loss of value of the dollar compared to other currencies.
You bring this topic up as if its the savior you have been waiting for. WHO THE HELL CARES. seriously.
LibT said “yeah – Like Mark said ‘ be PROUD of our army’ we kick ass…
ha ha ha ha ha ha . and ha. Perhaps I should role around in the mud and have intercourse with my sister now?”
G.F.Y.
Sam, well Russia and China are making a big deal out of it. Maybe you didn’t read that in the Daily Pig Lover.
sam,
for someone who yells the question, “WHO THE HELL CARES,” by commenting alone you seem to care. maybe a bit too much.
and, by the way, if mark is such a “complete idiot”, and a “loser” why are you here commenting? nobody is forcing you.
Christian Wright: “China shot a weather satellite out of space last year.
It is nice to know we are only one year behind the Chinese in Earth to Space weapons systems.”
Before you belittle the United States’ achievement, learn a little history.
The United States has been able to shoot down satellites since the 1980s, including actually shooting one down in 1985.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/01/18/china.missile/index.html
Also, the Chinese satellite was in a much higher orbit (537 miles) compared to the 130 mile satellite that the US shot down. The lower satellite was a harder target to hit because of the smaller window of opportunity.
LiberalT, regarding your post # 11—–I’m pretty sure that ship has sailed.
Or was that your daddy and HIS sister, which would explain your, shall we say, specialness……
Theleftists seem to forget that when SDI was originally proposed by President Reagan the leftist defeatocrats were unanimous in their opposition saying that it could not possibly work. In the early stages, when there were failures, the left reiterated that tired old saw about a “failed program”.
And now when our technology is shown to work the achievement is belittled as unimporant, insignificant, and unnecessary.
One uninformed leftist moron even implies that our abilities are inferior to the Chinese, forgetting that the Chinese could not achieve orbit or hit their STATIONARY weather satelite were it not for the fact that Slick Willy gave the Chicoms the tecnology to do so. And the Chicoms are using that technology to target our country with nuklear tipped weapons…thanks to Billary.
This insignificant demonstration put our enemies on notice that they best think twice about striking the US. And it makes our country, even the resident dhimmicrats, safer as a result.
Thank you President Ronald Reagan for the foresight and vision to protect this great nation.
Being a target shooter, skeet shooter, recreational shooter, I have to say to the Navy ” Nice Shot”