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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Satellite could plummet to Earth | Satellite could plummet to Earth |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A "large" US spy satellite has gone out of control and is expected to crash to Earth some time in late February or March, government sources say. | A "large" US spy satellite has gone out of control and is expected to crash to Earth some time in late February or March, government sources say. |
| Officials speaking on condition of anonymity said the satellite had lost power and propulsion, and could contain hazardous materials. | Officials speaking on condition of anonymity said the satellite had lost power and propulsion, and could contain hazardous materials. |
| The White House said it was monitoring the situation. | The White House said it was monitoring the situation. |
| A spokesman said "numerous" satellites had come out of orbit and fallen back to Earth harmlessly over the years. | A spokesman said "numerous" satellites had come out of orbit and fallen back to Earth harmlessly over the years. |
| "We are looking at potential options to mitigate any possible damage this satellite may cause," said Gordon Johndroe, who speaks for the US National Security Council. | "We are looking at potential options to mitigate any possible damage this satellite may cause," said Gordon Johndroe, who speaks for the US National Security Council. |
| Questioned by The Associated Press, he would not be drawn on whether the US would try to destroy the satellite, perhaps with a missile. | Questioned by The Associated Press, he would not be drawn on whether the US would try to destroy the satellite, perhaps with a missile. |
| An unnamed official quoted by AP said the US government was keeping lawmakers and other countries abreast of the situation. | An unnamed official quoted by AP said the US government was keeping lawmakers and other countries abreast of the situation. |
| Fuel hazard | |
| The satellite contains the rocket fuel hydrazine, a government official told AP on condition of anonymity. | |
| A colourless liquid with an ammonia-like odour, the fuel is a toxic chemical and can cause harm to anyone who comes in contact with it. | |
| John Pike, director of the defense research group GlobalSecurity.org, said an uncontrolled re-entry could risk exposure of US secrets. | |
| Spy satellites typically are disposed of through a controlled re-entry into the ocean so that no one else can access the spacecraft, he was quoted by AP as saying. | |
| The military expert believes that shooting the satellite down would create debris that would then re-enter the atmosphere and burn up or hit the ground. | |
| In his estimate, the satellite weighs about 20,000 pounds (9,072kg) and is the size of a small bus. | |
| It is possible, he adds, that this one died as long as a year ago and is just now getting ready to re-enter the atmosphere. | |
| Another expert, Jeffrey Richelson of the National Security Archive, said the satellite is probably a photo reconnaissance satellite. | |
| Into the ocean | |
| AP notes that the largest uncontrolled re-entry by a US space agency (Nasa) craft was Skylab. | |
| The 78-tonne abandoned space station fell from orbit in 1979. | |
| Its debris dropped harmlessly into the Indian Ocean and across a remote section of western Australia, the US news agency says. | Its debris dropped harmlessly into the Indian Ocean and across a remote section of western Australia, the US news agency says. |
| In 2002, officials believe debris from a 7,000-pound (3,175-kg) science satellite hit the Earth's atmosphere. | |
| It rained down over the Persian Gulf, a few thousand miles from where they first predicted it would crash. |