Disabled Spy Satellite Hurtling Toward Earth

The Associated Press broke a story this afternoon on a spy satellite that had lost power and was expected to crash to Earth in late February or early March. The satellite, which no longer be controlled, could contain hazardous materials, and it is unknown where on the planet it might come down.

The reports did not mention or raise the possibility of a connection to reports from as far back as 2006 that China had gained the ability to attack or disable orbiting satellites with ground-based lasers. At that time, those reports were met with some skepticism-- but it was only a short time later-- in early 2007-- when the Pentagon confirmed that China had indeed, blocked a U.S. spy satellite with a ground-based laser. Check out this article from U.S. News and World report on how dependent even ground-based warfare is becoming on satellite-based navigation.