MUDGE’s Musings
Shooting a missile at a satellite is rocket science. And, apparently, a year late, we’ve figured it out.
Spy Satellite’s Downing Shows a New U.S. Weapon Capability
By Marc Kaufman and Josh White | Washington Post Staff Writers | Friday, February 22, 2008; Page A03
The unprecedented downing of an errant spy satellite by a Navy missile makes it clear that the Pentagon has a new weapon in its arsenal — an anti-satellite missile adapted from the nation’s missile defense program.
While the dramatic intercept took place well below the altitude where most satellites orbit, defense and space experts said Wednesday night’s first-shot success strongly suggests that the military has the technology and know-how to knock out satellites at much higher orbits.
When the plans were announced a week or so ago, we were bemused.
The physics required have got to be astounding. See, the satellite is in a deteriorating orbit, so it might not be acting totally predictably.
The missile was built, of course, by the lowest bidder.
And they launched it from a missile cruiser sailing in the Pacific, which any mariner will tell you is totally falsely named.
I’m thinking the challenge was tantamount to shooting an arrow at a duck in flight several miles away, from the back of a rodeo bull.
Posted by mudge 
Left-handed Complement 