Debris from out-of-control U.S. spy satellite likely to hit Earth

By William Atkins
Sunday, 27 January 2008 20:32

Science - Space

The news media is reporting that unnamed officials within the federal government are stating that a disabled U.S. spy satellite is expected to fall to Earth sometime between late February and early March. Could it be satellite USA 193 (NROL-21)?        

The uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere by the defective satellite, possibly an experimental radar/photo reconnaissance satellite, could likely pose a threat to yet-undetermined parts of the planet from the debris that will rein down.

According to The New York Times article “U.S. Spy Satellite, Power Gone, May Hit Earth,” National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson Gordon Johndroe stated, “Appropriate government agencies are monitoring the situation. Numerous satellites over the years have come out of orbit and fallen harmlessly. We are looking at potential options to mitigate any possible damage this satellite may cause.”

It is suspected, according to the same New York Times article, that the disabled spy satellite is an experimental imagery satellite built by Lockheed Martin, which was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base (California) in December 2006, from a Delta II rocket. Supposedly, if this is the satellite that is now plummeting out of orbit, ground controllers only had temporary control of the satellite after it was launched.

If indeed it was launched by a Delta II launch vehicle, the Delta II is a medium-lift rocket that is used to launch classified global positioning system (GPS) satellites into orbit in order to provide navigational data to the military, along with launching unclassified payloads into low-Earth, polar, geosynchronous transfer and stationary orbits.

In addition, if reports are true about a December 2006 launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, then it was reported by an U.S. Air Force website (“Vandenberg successfully launches Delta II,” December 19, 2006) that a launch took place on December 14, 2006, from a Delta II rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) payload from Space Launch Complex 2 at 1 p.m.

The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is an intelligence agency of the United States, Headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, it designs, builds, and operates reconnaissance satellites for the U.S. government.

However, it was also reported that the NRO, along with United Launch Alliance, successfully launched USA 193/NROL-21 into low-Earth orbit (LEO) on December 13, 2006, at approximately 16:00 E.S.T. The December 16, 2006 report entitled “USA 193/NROL-21 Launched” is from Milcom Monitoring Post. It states that a Delta 2/7920-10 launch vehicle was launched from launch pad SLC2W (space launch complex 2W) with the satellite onboard. It was supposedly inserted into a 234 by 220 mile (376 by 354 kilometer) orbit with an inclination of about 58.5 degrees.

Further reports from this source come from its website: “American spy sat ‘the size of a bus’ is out of control and returning to Earth.”

NASA has also produced information about this spy sat, along with Gunter's blog. Please read on.