NRO sat reportedly in trouble
- From: "Allen Thomson" <thomsona@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 12 Jan 2007 05:32:32 -0800
[If this is in fact the object launched on 14 December, USA 193, there
has been some speculation based on its observed characteristics that it
might be a prototype or other kind of precursor to the FIA radar
satellites. If so, Boeing would seem to be two for two on FIA
performance.]
EXCLUSIVE - Expensive new U.S. spy satellite not working - sources
By Andrea Shalal-Esa
January 12, 2007
[EXCERPT]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials are unable to communicate with an
expensive experimental U.S. spy satellite launched last year by the
U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), a defense official and
another source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
Efforts are continuing to reestablish communication with the classified
satellite, which cost hundreds of millions of dollars, but "the
prognosis is not great at this point," said the defense official, who
asked not to be identified.
U.S. officials are unable to communicate with an expensive experimental
U.S. spy satellite launched last year by the U.S. National
Reconnaissance Office (NRO), sources said.
"They have not yet declared it a total loss. There are still some
additional steps that can be taken to restore communication," the
official added, noting some satellites had been recovered in similar
situations in the past.
The official said the problems were substantial and involved multiple
systems, adding that U.S. officials were working to reestablish contact
with the satellite because of the importance of the new technology it
was meant to test and demonstrate.
The other source said the satellite had been described to him as "a
comprehensive failure."
There was no suggestion by either of the sources that the satellite had
been purposely damaged as part of a terrorist attack. Another
government official said he had no information about any attacks on
U.S. satellites.
The National Reconnaissance Office, which designs, builds and operates
reconnaissance satellites for the U.S. military and intelligence
communities, had no comment.
Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer with the Harvard- Smithsonian Center
For Astrophysics, said the satellite in question could be a classified
NRO satellite launched into space on Dec. 14 from Vandenberg Air Force
Base in California, which did not appear to be part of any "existing
pattern."
The NRO satellite identified only as L-21 was the first ever launched
by the newly merged rocket launch units of Boeing Co. and Lockheed
Martin Corp.
The new joint venture announced the successful launch of the satellite,
but neither the company nor the NRO gave any details about the
satellite's mission.
McDowell said the satellite was mysterious to satellite watchers
because it was in a low orbit of about 220 miles, or 350 kilometers,
above the Earth and had not made any move to change its orbital
position.
"This is definitely a setback for the NRO, which has had an aggressive
technology development program over the past few years," McDowell said.
"It adds to the problems that the NRO is having transitioning to its
next generation of satellites."
.
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