THE US鈥檚 space industry has had a bad few weeks. A spy satellite launched
a month ago is crashing to Earth, and a communications satellite lofted
last week by the commercial launch company Martin Marietta is stuck in useless
orbit.
The Pentagon said the billion-dollar spy satellite 鈥榓chieved its goal
associated with the classified DOD programme鈥�. It went on: 鈥楬ardware elements
associated with the mission are expected to re-enter the Earth鈥檚 atmosphere.
We believe there is no risk to life or property.鈥�
In the meantime, the International Satellite Organization (Intelsat)
has succeeded in preventing its satellite from falling to Earth. The satellite
failed to separate properly from the last stage of an American Titan 3 rocket
last week. Intelsat鈥檚 engineers have directed the satellite to a higher
orbit where it should be safe, although it cannot relay telephone calls
from this position.
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