news@sdcdcl.gsfc.nasa.gov (03/18/90)
03/16 1411 SOVIETS SAY THAT U.S. SPY SATELLITE LAUNCHED TWO ... MOSCOW (MARCH 16) - A U.S. spy satellite launched by the space shuttle Atlantis two weeks ago was disintegrating over Soviet territory and could fall to earth later this month, the Novosti news agency said Friday. The agency, citing reliable sources, said that the satellite was involved in spying, adding that it would come down over northern Soviet territory between March 19 and April 15. Novosti, which is known to have close ties with the Soviet KGB secret police, said that four large sections of the disintegrating satellite had been detected in orbit by Soviet space control on March 7. 03/17 1034 PENTAGON SAYS FALLING U.S. SPY SATELLITE COULD ... WASHINGTON (MARCH 17) UPI - A crippled U.S. spy satellite launched last month has fallen into a decaying orbit and is expected to reenter the earth's atmosphere in a ball of fire, possibly over the Soviet Union, in the next 30 days, it was reported Saturday. A Pentagon spokesman told the Washington Post the $1 billion satellite and its highly classified systems will be incinerated by the intense heat of reentry and poses no threat to life. In Moscow, the Novosti press agency said Soviet space monitoring systems began tracking four fragments of the satellite March 7. "An analysis of the inclination of their orbits and of the speed of change of their parameters have led our specialists to the conclusion that the objects may fall on earth between March 19 and April 10," Novasti reported. "The trajectory of their fall may pass over northern regions of the Soviet Union." The 17-ton satellite, launched by the space shuttle Atlantis Feb. 28, is described as a highly sophisticated intelligence-gathering platform that uses advanced radar to detect earth targets regardless of cloud cover. It was intended to stay in orbit for many years monitoring Soviet military activities. Pentagon spokesman Pete Williams told the Post Friday: "Space shuttle mission STS-36 achieved its goal associated with a classified DOD (Department of Defense) program. Hardware elements associated with the mission are expected to re-enter the earth's atmosphere. We believe there is no risk to life of property." Novosti suggested U.S. military officials intentionally exploded the satellite into four pieces. Such a move would ensure no part of the satellite would survive reentry. "One can only assume that the spy satellite has been blown up by its owners for some unknown reasons," Novosti said. "The protracted silence on this score by those across the Atlantic who are implementing the program of satellite espionage over the territory and air space of the Soviet Union simply confirms the above suggestion."