Could a Dirty Rag Take Out a $2 Billion Satellite?

An anonymous reader writes "The alleged rescue of a U.S. military communications satellite underscores some of the weaknesses in U.S. space efforts. Quoting: 'The seven-ton “AEHF-1,” part of a planned six-satellite constellation meant to support radio communication between far-flung U.S. military units, had been in orbit just one day when the problems began. The satellite started out in a highly-elliptical, temporary orbit. The plan was to use the spacecraft’s on-board engine to boost it to a permanent, geo-stationary orbit. But when the Air Force space operators at Los Angeles Air Force Base activated the engine, nothing happened. The Government Accountability Office would later blame the failure on a rag left inside a fuel line by a Lockheed worker.'"

Comments

clearly he's a terrorist

[alen]

and has destroyed vital military property

time to lock him up with no trial and throw away the key

Re:The answer appears to be a yes.

[Lumpy]

No.

There are no car engines with enough displacement for a wrench to fit. Socket? yes, that can and will happen, I've seen a race car smash a head up because of a socket left in a cyl. but you did not say that, you said wrench, so it's impossible for a wrench to ruin the engine from being left in the Cylinder because you cant get one in there to begin with.