US Air Force to launch new surveillance satellites

[Zorro]

Source: AFP

The US Air Force will launch new satellites Wednesday to track those of other countries and counter possible threats to American spacecraft, officials said.

Two satellites are due to be sent into high-altitude orbits for the first time as part of a program that until a few months ago was strictly secret and classified.

The satellites will be launched from Delta IV rockets from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and head to the geosynchronous belt, 22,300 miles (35,900 kilometers) above Earth, where crucial US satellites are also orbiting.

"This neighborhood watch twosome will help protect our precious assets in geo (high-altitude orbit), plus they will be on the lookout for nefarious capability other nations might try to place in that critical orbital regime," US Air Force Space Command chief General William Shelton told reporters.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/us-air-force-launch-surveillance-satellites-050058074.html

[lovuian]

1. Weaponizing Space

the final frontier

[BlueEye]

2. No kidding!

Pretty soon Captain Kirk will be flying off into the wild blue (black?) yonder.

[yesphan]

3. Oh good.

Satellites watching satellites watching satellites watching us................................

[LongTomH]

4. Whatever happened to the spirit of Apollo?

Oh, yes, Nixon, Reagan, et al!

[secondvariety]

5. So...

our new satellites will be watching their satellites which are watching our satellites which are already watching their satellites. I'm lost...

[on point]

6. Might explain mission of secret Air Force shuttle mission

They launched their shuttle and left in space for months. Possible test of these satellites so they could get it right before they deployed the real ones. Timing is about right. Shuttle returns and several months later these new satellites are ready to go

No evidence. Just thoughtful speculation.