| Operation Burnt Frost | |
|---|---|
 Break up of USA-193 following interception | |
| Objective | Destruction of non-functioning satellite USA-193 |
| Date | 4 January – 21 February 2008 |
| Executed by | USS Lake Erie |
| Outcome | Satellite destroyed on 21 February 2008 |
Operation Burnt Frost was a military operation to intercept and destroy non-functioning U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) satellite USA-193.[1] The mission was described by the Missile Defense Agency as a "mission of safeguarding human life against the uncontrolled re-entry of a 5,000-pound satellite containing over 1,000 pounds of hazardous hydrazine propellant".[2] The launch occurred on 21 February 2008 at approximately 10:26 p.m. EST from the USS Lake Erie, using a heavily modified Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) to shoot down the satellite. A few minutes after launch, the SM-3 intercepted its target and successfully completed its mission.[2] The operation received scrutiny from other countries, mainly China and Russia.[3]
- ^ Webb, Angela (February 26, 2008). "Joint effort made satellite success possible". US Air Force. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012.
- ^ a b "Aegis One Time Mission". Missile Defense Agency. Archived from the original on 2012-02-14.
- ^ Beljac, Marko (March 31, 2008). "Arms Race in Space". Washington, DC: Foreign Policy In Focus.
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