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US 'confident' over satellite hit | US 'confident' over satellite hit |
(10 minutes later) | |
The US is confident that its shooting down of a disabled spy satellite with a missile managed to destroy its potentially toxic fuel tank. | The US is confident that its shooting down of a disabled spy satellite with a missile managed to destroy its potentially toxic fuel tank. |
Marine Gen James Cartwright said there was a "reasonable degree of confidence" that the tank was destroyed. | Marine Gen James Cartwright said there was a "reasonable degree of confidence" that the tank was destroyed. |
A fuel ball, vapour cloud and spectral analysis indicating the presence of hydrazine all indicated that the tank had been hit, he told reporters. | A fuel ball, vapour cloud and spectral analysis indicating the presence of hydrazine all indicated that the tank had been hit, he told reporters. |
The operation has been criticised by China and Russia. | The operation has been criticised by China and Russia. |
"We're very confident that we hit the satellite," Gen Cartwright said at a Pentagon briefing. "We also have a high degree of confidence that we got the tank." | |
It would take another 24-48 hours for officials to confirm whether the operations had been completely successful, he said. | |
Gen Cartwright said he could not rule out that hazardous material might fall to earth, but said that "thus far we've seen nothing larger than a football". |