There’s a great in-depth feature and interview in U.S. News and World Report with behind-the-scenes details about the missile launch against the spy satellite. The feature goes into some technical details, and offers insight into the operation that I haven’t read anywhere else. For instance, there were some reports that the weather would be a factor, but it never was. There’s also a note here that they had something called “kinetic warhead” that gave them images down from space of the warhead as it approached the satellite.
The USS Lake Erie shot down the satellite last Wednesday using the Navy’s sophisticated Aegis weapon system. By all accounts the mission succeeded in obliterating the satellite before it crashed to Earth carrying a dangerous payload of hydrazine fuel.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/systems/aegis.htm
Not to nitpick. Aegis isn’t A weapon. It’s a weapons or combat system.
One interesting thing for the article. There wasn’t a explosive warhead on the missile.
KoS