Slashdot Mirror
Interceptor Missile Fails Test Launch
jangobongo writes "The US missile defense system suffered a serious setback today, just 2 weeks before it was scheduled to be activated. A target ICBM was launched from Alaska, but crashed harmlessly into the ocean as the interceptor missile based on an atoll in the Pacific Ocean shut itself down due to an unknown "anomaly". The cause of the failure could have been anything from a software glitch to a major hardware malfunction."
$85 million
Stupid rackafratchin' metric conversions ;)
Honey, I shrunk the Cygwin
the ICBM was a dummy... no worries.
The ICBM isn't the dummy that worries me about this failure...
"Everything you know is wrong. (And stupid.)"
Moderation Totals: Wrong=2, Stupid=3, Total=5.
The talking head who said "unknown anomaly" probably talked to the engineers first. They probably said something like:
To which he says, "I'll just tell 'em we don't know what happened yet"
If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
Important Notice to Rogue States and Terrorists: If you plan to attack the US, check the weather first and make sure it's a calm, clear day so our missile defence system has a chance of working. Love, the US government.
The system is a total waste.
.. the fact that the system has never yet worked properly under normal expected conditions?
... wouldn't want any real threats to test the system, better to just invade the imaginary threats that never had any WMD's.
It is obsolete before it is even functional.
Why do I say this?
Because to overcome the defense, all you need to do is send more warheads and make the warheads travel faster. A CHEAP EASY WAY TO OVERCOME A TRILLION DOLLAR SYSTEM. They can be real warheads, they can be decoys, just put lots in the air at once, the US won't be able to shoot them all down. Make them move faster, and the defense system can't keep up.
This does not require very many missles.
The new Russian system announced recently does all this. Each missle carries more warheads (10 or 12), and the missle travels much faster than previous missles.
Now, how about the other issue
The ONLY time the system has EVER shot down a missle has been when the target missles have been set to travel and a greatly reduced speed AND have been made to emit a homing signal for the defensive missle to follow in.
Do you really think any 'rogue states' are going to slow their missles down and put nice friendly homing beacons on them? dumbass.
Hmmmm maybe that's why DUBYA is such good friends with the nuclear military dictatorship of Pakistan, as well as the well known terrorist leader of Libya who has murdered hundreds and has billions in the bank to fund any terrorists he wants
George Bush + Linux = "I will not let information get in the way of the fight against Windows"
This used to happen to me all the time.
That little sticker that holds the igniter up in the engine probably came loose. Either that, or the alligator clip came off the igniter.
Estes is usually good to deal with, just call their 800 number and they'll send a new pack of igniters.
There is a helpful guide here.
But it's kind of embarrassing that a Web site that purports to carry "news for nerds" should just parrot the misinformation carried in the wire service report.
How ridiculous that Slashdot should believe the media coverage about a secret event held in a highly-controlled military zone off the coast of Alaska! Why, Rob or Jamie or somebody should have been in a little rowboat, monitoring the whole thing themselves.
And they call themselves geeks... Feh!
-Waldo Jaquith
Yea, you're right.
Let's ignore the scientists, and trust the politicians.
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