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15 February 2008

DC08012E

For use of the information media; not an official record

UNITED STATES INFORMS CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT OF DECISION TO DISABLE
FAILING SATELLITE

Engagement Attempt Not Part of An Anti-Satellite Development and Testing
Programme, United States Insists

Ambassador Christina Rocca of the United States announced United States
plans to disable a failing National Reconnaissance Office satellite at a
meeting the Conference on Disarmament this morning.

Ms. Rocca said the President of the United States of America had authorized
the Department of Defense to attempt the engagement of an inoperable
National Reconnaissance Office Satellite, which was currently in a decaying
orbit. The President had determined that protecting the possible risk to
human life was paramount; the highly toxic nature of the satellite's fully
fuelled hydrazine tank, which would likely survive in a natural re-entry,
was the key factor influencing that decision.

The United States had recently modified three SM-3 missiles and three United
States Navy ships to perform the mission, Ms. Rocca continued. The United
States anticipated rupturing the fuel tank, and causing the hydrazine to
dissipate, so that it would no longer pose a threat to human life. The
United States would also choose the time and location of the engagement to
maximize chances of ensuring that the resulting debris would re-enter
quickly and thus not pose a danger to satellites and peaceful space
operations and to minimize the chance that any initial debris re-entering
after the engagement would impact a populated area.

Ms. Rocca said that, if the engagement failed, the satellite was expected to
make an uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere on or about 6
March 2008 in any region on the Earth's surface between 58.5 degrees North
and 58.5 degrees South latitudes. In the event, the United States was
examining options for consequence management to mitigate the hazards that
could be created if a fully fuelled hydrazine tank were to land in an
inhabited area.

Ms. Rocca stressed that, whether the engagement succeeded or failed, the
United States was prepared to offer assistance to Governments to mitigate
the consequences of any satellite debris impacts on their territory, under
the terms of he 1972 Convention on international Liability for Damage Caused
by Space Objects, to which it was a party.

Ms. Rocca further emphasized that all United States actions regarding this
matter would be consistent with the provisions of the 1967 Outer Space
Treaty. The United States transparency in notifying foreign Governments and
the broader international community was consistent with its commitment to
safe and responsible space operations. This extraordinary engagement was an
emergency response to prevent the possible loss of life. It was not part of
an anti-satellite development and testing programme, and the United States
did not intend to retain the technical capability resulting from the
modifications required to carry out the engagement.

The next plenary of the Conference will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 19
February, under the Presidency of Turkey.
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