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AMO officers onboard in support of satellite interception
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Two vessels manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers assisted in the U.S. Navy's interception and tracking of a 5,000-pound non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite over the Pacific Ocean earlier this month.
The range instrumentation ship USNS Observation Island provided telemetry information. The ship, which can monitor objects in space, tracked the satellite and collected data on it both before and after the missile launch, Military Sealift Command reported. The Observation Island is operated by Maersk Line Limited for Military Sealift Command (MSC) and manned in all licensed positions by AMO. The guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie launched the SM-3 missile to intercept the satellite, MSC reported. The Sea Based X-band radar platform (SBX) was deployed in the area to support independently the discrimination and tracking of the destroyed satellite. Other U.S. military sensors and satellites were deployed in the area and were also used for evaluation of the intercept, the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance reported. The SBX is operated by Interocean American Shipping Corporation under a charter from the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and is manned in all licensed positions by AMO. In late January, the U.S. government notified other nations that the satellite was unresponsive and would make an uncontrolled reentry in late February or early March, MSC reported. The President decided to bring down the satellite because of the likelihood that the satellite could release hydrazine fuel upon impact, possibly in populated areas, MSC reported. |
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