US to shoot-down the failed satellite today

It seems that the time has come for the filed satellite to be destroyed. US plans to destroy the rapidly decaying satellite at 2230 ET today (i.e) at 10:30 PM (Eastern time) on 20^th feb 2008. USS Lake Erie has been specially modified with two interceptor missiles and has been positioned west of Hawaii. Software changes have been made to the interceptor missiles to recognize a satellite instead of a ballistic missile. For the sake of safety a third interceptor is carried by the USS Decatur, in case the first two fails. The idea is to shoot the satellite as soon as possible to make way for further attempts if required. The missile will carry no warheads because the impact at 22,000 mph is expected to explode the hydrazine fuel tank that the satellite carries. Pentagon is planning this shoot-down at an estimated cost of 40 to 60 million dollars. It seems that the satellite is more difficult to be tracked when compare to a ballistic missile because the temperature is low and the satellite is moving at a very high speed than that of a ballistic missile. If the USS Lake Erie misses in its first attempt, then it would have to wait for a day for the next launch. The larger the time it takes to shoot-down the satellite, the harder it becomes as the satellite gathers speed. Let’s hope for the best…