Shuttle lands; satellite shot uncertain

The Space Shuttle Atlantis landed safely in Florida this morning, clearing the way for the Navy to proceed with plans to shoot down the errant spy satellite as early as tonight. But those plans could be delayed by weather:

Navy gunners in the Pacific were watching the sea and sky Wednesday, waiting for perfect conditions to take a kill shot on an errant satellite 150 miles above them.

They have just a 10-second window to fire, a Pentagon official said, and may not be able to take their shot on their first opportunity at 10:30 p.m. ET Wednesday.

"It's not enough to say 'no,' but we're watching the weather," the official told reporters at the Pentagon. "It's on the margin."

The cruiser USS Lake Erie will get one 10-second window each of the next nine or 10 days to fire an interceptor missile that will destroy the faltering spy satellite before it can tumble to Earth and -- possibly -- release a cloud of toxic gas. ...

[S]wells in the Pacific Ocean west of Hawaii [are] running slightly higher than [the] Navy would like.

The National Weather Service forecast 12- to 15-foot seas west of Hawaii Wednesday with a storm developing in the area.

The United States plans to spend up to $60 million to try to destroy the satellite even though there is only a remote possibility the satellite could fall to Earth, survive re-entry and spew toxic gas in a populated area, said James Jeffrey, deputy national security adviser.

   "The regret factor of not acting clearly outweighed the regret factor of acting," he said.

Either that, or this is a convenient opportunity to get away with doing a missile test, as some have speculated.

Comments

[Joe Loy]

WashPost:

"The attempt will further provide an unscripted opportunity to see whether ship-based missiles can blow up the satellite just as it reenters Earth's atmosphere -- a key moment in any attempt to intercept an intercontinental missile that might someday be launched against the United States."

CNN:

"...the [Pentagon] official said conditions have to be perfect, and that was not the case Wednesday with swells in the Pacific Ocean west of Hawaii running slightly higher than Navy would like."

Swell. :> Let us hope that the Red Chinese ;} will be considerate enough to schedule their Unscripted Assault for a day when the forecast calls for a Flat Calm. ;}