US to shoot down satellite orbiting over Ireland
Friday, 15 February 2008
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The US Government has decided to shoot down a failing spy satellite that is drifting out of control on an orbit that takes it directly over Ireland.
The Pentagon plans to destroy the secret satellite with a missile rather than allowing it to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and fall to the surface.
The satellite is currently on course to fall from orbit in the first week of March, but the US has decided to destroy it rather than risk it getting into the hands of another country.
Even if it was allowed to fall to Earth, the statistical risk of death or injury is considered extremely small.
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