We’ve all been talking about this for nearly a week and all it took was one shot…surely opening some eyes in Beijing, Tehran and Moscow. I have to tell you, they were 4 minutes ahead of the launch time discuss late in the afternoon. The important fact….the USS Lake Erie, captain, crew and contractors, nailed the satellite on the first try. Now we wait to hear if they destroyed the toxic fuel tank. Here’s the official word and my favorite picture of the USS Lake Erie.

             DoD Succeeds In Intercepting Non-Functioning Satellite
A network of land-, air-, sea- and spaced-based sensors confirms that the U.S. military intercepted a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite which was in its final orbits before entering the earth’s atmosphere.

Keep Reading …

I have spoken with several contacts within the chain of command regarding this missile launch from the USS Lake Erie and included this picture of an SM-3 being launched during our trip on the Erie last year.  The crew knocked two threats out of the sky at the same time, the first ship in the world to accomplish this feat. Meantime, the SBX radar that I covered last year is also being used to track the satellite. Here is what I’ve learned.

1. The Navy has been in secret meetings about the satellite issue for several weeks and Admiral Hicks is on board for the shot.

2. Three SM-3 missiles have been modified to take out the satellite. Two are loaded and ready to go on the USS Lake Erie (the ship where our reports originated last year) and one is on the destroyer the Decatur. Erie is choice number 1.

3. There is only one window a day. The missiles are infared heat seekers and the sun needs to reflect off of the satellite for the missiles to find it. Thursday is the day everyone hopes for, but no guarantee’s because everything depends on weather.

4. From one of my contacts “if we hit it right, it’ll all burn up. We’re worried about 1 tank that holds 1,000 pounds of frozen hydrozene (sp?). If we don’t hit it perfect then the tank could fall to earth with this fuel that is highly flamable and toxic.” That is why the President warned about possible problems with the satellite coming to earth in pieces. Keep Reading …

According to multiple sources within the U.S. Navy, the cruiser USS Lake Erie is the first choice to shoot down the rogue spy satellite. The destroyer the USS Decatur is choice number two. We were the first ever media crew of any type to be on board a U.S. ship before, during and after an Aegis test. The Erie was the first ship in the world to knock down two missile threats at the same time and now may be the first ship to shoot down a threatening satellite in outer space. This is the video of the Lake Erie and the Aegis system in action and you can follow the link for more on my minute by minute blog on launch day.