A missile launched from a U.S. Navy cruiser soared 130 miles (210 kilometers) above the Pacific and smashed a dying and potentially deadly U.S. spy satellite.
Several defense officials said it apparently achieved the main aim of destroying an onboard tank of toxic fuel. Officials had expressed cautious optimism that the missile would hit the satellite, which was the size of a school bus. However, they were less certain of hitting the smaller, more worrisome fuel tank, whose contents posed what Bush administration officials deemed a potential health hazard to humans if it landed intact. The Pentagon said, “Confirmation that the fuel tank has been fragmented should be available within 24 hours.'' It made no mention of early indications, but several defense officials close to the situation said later that all indications point to the destruction of the fuel tank. One explained that observers saw what appeared to be an explosion, indicating that the tank was hit. The Lake Erie and two other Navy warships, as well as the SM-3 missile and other components, were modified in a hurry-up project headed by the Navy in January. The missile alone cost nearly $10 million (euro7 million), and officials estimated that the total cost of the project was at least $30 million (euro20 million).
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