# Chinese Missile Destroys Satellite



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Last week, China successfully used a test missile to obliterate an orbiting satellite,
U.S. government officials told CNN Thursday. The test could undermine relations
with the West and pose a threat to satellites important to the U.S. military.

According to a spokesman for the National Security Council, the ground-based,
medium-range ballistic missile knocked an aged weather satellite from its orbit
roughly 537 miles above Earth.

www.SkyReport.com - used with permission


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## dmspen (Dec 1, 2006)

Not to worry, the TV satellites are at geosynchronous orbits, about 22,500 miles up. We're safe.


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## markrubi (Oct 12, 2006)

Hmmm.. This just after the Chinese gave us back Jack Bauer.. They are asking for it.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

> _Not to worry, the TV satellites are at geosynchronous orbits, about 22,500 miles up. We're safe._


Yes, absolutely! As long as we get our tv, why should we be concerned that
_"the test could...pose a threat to satellites important to the U.S. military"_ 
and, therefor, to the security of America?


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## FTA Michael (Jul 21, 2002)

"Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone." - Howard Beale


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## Jhon69 (Mar 28, 2006)

The Chinese might take out our satellites but they will leave the HBO satellite cause they know if they take out Skinamax.The only thing left for us will be their a$$ !!.:eek2:


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## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

dmspen said:


> Not to worry, the TV satellites are at geosynchronous orbits, about 22,500 miles up. We're safe.


Actually, geosynchrounous satellites would be an easier target than the one they got since they sit in one spot in relation to the earth. Lower orbit sats are far from stationary objects.


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## kenglish (Oct 2, 2004)

Let's see....4 or 5 Echostar sats, 4 or 5 DirecTV sats, a couple of Verizon "SuperHeadends", maybe a couple of "Telstars" for the major networks.....

Terrorists could plunge America in to chaos in a few hours. And, with the space debris, the Clarke Belt could become useless for eons.


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## Phil T (Mar 25, 2002)

kenglish said:


> Let's see....4 or 5 Echostar sats, 4 or 5 DirecTV sats, a couple of Verizon "SuperHeadends", maybe a couple of "Telstars" for the major networks.....


Actually, they might be doing us a favor.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Richard King said:


> Actually, geosynchronous satellites would be an easier target than the one they got since they sit in one spot in relation to the earth. Lower orbit sats are far from stationary objects.


Not that easy.
You probably don't know, but for reach that geo orbit it need additional buster, precise impulse in right time and a correction on final point of destination. I would tell you it is hard and complex task. For sure not easy then hit low orbit target.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Confucious say easier to hit sat @ 22.5k mi than for Manning
to hit wide receiver @ 22.5 yds. Lucky Numbers 7 11 21 33 42


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## Smthkd (Sep 1, 2004)

Go Colts!!!


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## greatwhitenorth (Jul 18, 2005)

Nick said:


> Last week, China successfully used a test missile to obliterate an orbiting satellite,
> U.S. government officials told CNN Thursday. The test could undermine relations
> with the West and pose a threat to satellites important to the U.S. military.
> 
> ...


Any truth to the rumor that John Malone has ordered up a dozen?


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## tsmacro (Apr 28, 2005)

I heard them talking about this on the radio last week and they said that by doing this the Chinese essentially doubled the amount of "space junk" orbiting at that level above the earth. Seems like a rather reckless thing to do, especially since the worst of that will continue to orbit over Chinese territory you'd think they'd be smart enough to not want to have to deal such a mess.


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## AllieVi (Apr 10, 2002)

They're just not playing fair! If we ever have a war with China, we certainly won't try to knock out *their* satellites.


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## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

Actually, we will do it with environmentally friendly systems, like lasers.


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## lwilli201 (Dec 22, 2006)

I wonder how long it will be before Waste Management has a space junk cleanup division. It will have to happen sooner or later with all that junk up there.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

lwilli201 said:


> I wonder how long it will be before Waste Management has a space junk cleanup
> division. It will have to happen sooner or later with all that junk up there.


Inevitably, and once the shuttles are retired in 2010, they will be available
on the used spacecraft market for a fraction of their original cost. With that
huge cargo bay, they will make the perfect space junk garbage truck.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Main question - who will pay for the mission ? I'm pretty confident - no one !


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## oldschoolecw (Jan 25, 2007)

markrubi said:


> Hmmm.. This just after the Chinese gave us back Jack Bauer.. They are asking for it.


LOL
!rolling


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

_"Inevitably, and once the shuttles are retired in 2010, they will be available
on the used spacecraft market for a fraction of their original cost. With that
huge cargo bay, they will make the perfect space junk garbage truck."_


P Smith said:


> Main question - who will pay for the mission?


Not just one "mission" my _nave_ compadre, but on a regular pick-up schedule, like
January or October. As is the case down here on Earth, the cost of collections will
be paid by those who use the service. Better than (not then) being on the losing
end of a civil liability suit when an errant chunk of space debris de-orbits and falls
on your house, or worse, on your '74 AMC Pacer. :sure:


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## lwilli201 (Dec 22, 2006)

All the countries that have space programs will have to come up with a way to clean up all the junk. It is going to be so bad that they will not be able to launch anything without flying thru some of the junk. Dont think many space craft can deal with that.

Check this out.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/08/02/space.junk/index.html?section=cnn_space


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## Neil Derryberry (Mar 23, 2002)

Nick said:


> Inevitably, and once the shuttles are retired in 2010, they will be available
> on the used spacecraft market for a fraction of their original cost. With that
> huge cargo bay, they will make the perfect space junk garbage truck.


I wish I were good at photoshopping... this would be fun!


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

You mean made something like









Roger Wilco over the space. ?


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## FTA Michael (Jul 21, 2002)

Something like that, but substitute a trash truck with a grabber arm.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

I recall good picture of space trash collecting vessel ( was it in SW movies or from Sierra games - Space Quests ?).

*"1st Space junk removal Squadron"*


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## cj9788 (May 14, 2003)

There was a tv show late 70's called Quark. I think it was about intergalactic trash haulers.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

I remember Salvage 1 from 1979.

Here is a picture of a model of The Vulture:
http://culttvman.com/alberto_lopez__salvage.html


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