Big cover up! Don't be fooled!
Hitting it with a missile will create an even bigger cloud of debris - like shotgun pellets instead of a single bullet. Some of that debris could remain in space (read: space junk) - another hazard. That hit would also make a cloud of hydrazine in the upper atmosphere ...
They just want to hide the technology. Don't be hoodwinked! It is no test of missile technology really - the nature of the target is well known and its trajectory has been monitored for at least months. A real anit-missile system would only have 30 -40 minutes of warning.

Sean H., St. Andrew, Jamaica

I'd better get my tin foil hat out from the attic... knowing America and their laser guided "precision" bombs, when they say Ireland, they probably mean "anywhere around Europe".

Howard, Manchester,

This is so fake. The Chinese have the technology to shoot down satelites and they tested it (so dramaticlay last year) and drew widespread condemation. Thus giving them the upper hand in any war since the satelites are the military eyes and ears of the US.

Thus America needs to test its weaponry, so pretends to have a satelite that is falling from the sky (and also saving lives from stopping it falling on our heads) therfore not getting condemnation and showing China that we can do it too!

It is what it is, an arms race - plain and simple.

We are not that gullible.

Ned Ozward, Soldotna, AK

So, China can't be allowed to do that; but when U.S. does, everything is fine.... Astounding!

J.J. Tato, Alicante, Spain

what will happen if the Irish government (Bertie and pals) get their hands on hi-tech american spy equipment and all it's info onboard, Far too much bertie

Nathen Kay, Dublin,

Am I the only one who sees an obvious bit of sabre rattling here?

David, Pyrenees., France.

Lets just hope they hit the right satellite!

Ian, Manchester,

Sure, no problem, have it fall on the paddock behind my house, no bother. Mind the sheep.

John, Cleggan, Ireland

"How many satellites fall to earth every year"

Zero. That's the point of orbiting.

Pierre, Caen, France

I'm surprised they haven't planned to bring the thing down onto Iran.... would save the US from bombing it in the first place.... not that I agree with that in any way. Its just their style.

Patrick, Sarasota, FL

Get the Chinese to shoot it down, they have done it before.
As for the Irish angle, that what you get for being neutral.

Bless them

Steve, London,

This is United States way! By doing the same thing (as China did to their satellite) they can usually escape critisicm from its ally (eg. UK, Europe, etc).

I think others like India, Russia, Japan, China, Iran, etc will soon follow the example of U.S., they can always make use of this "reason" to test out their missles.

I am so looking forward for the future.

sam, farnborough, uk

space junk falling on my head...

fraser, bristol,

Might have been better to have kept quiet about this (in case they miss)

Peter Donson, Southwell,Notts, UK

The Americans have had considerable practice hitting friendly targets so they shouldn't miss!

A.Williams, Cradley Heath,

Why don't they just say it's for " Health and Safety" reasons after all, that's the lame excuse everybody uses to get others to comply with whatever they wish others to comply with!!!

Graham , Littlehampton,

Satellites in low Earth orbit travel from West to East (it requires less launch energy and explains why US satellites are launched from Florida and not California - it's got a big ocean immediately down-flight of it).

Shooting at this satellite while it's on the Eastern edge of the Atlantic, and about to transit over a large landmass, rather than when it's on the Western edge smacks of utter incompetence.

("CalAussie" is partly right, of course, but he's forgetting to take conservation of momentum into account. Otherwise his observation would have rendered the entire Strategic Defense Initiative pointless!)

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

Why even bother????

John Williams, Newtown, UK

They may be testing a missile, but you better believe they were going to do it if it was falling or not, because they wouldn't want anyone getting ahold of any of the "Expensive" equipment onboard. Now since it's falling anyway, it gives them a good reason to test their missile and git rid of the evidence at the same time. Two birds with one stone, that sorta thing.

BJ, Uehling, Nebraska

I think the idea is to hit the satellite whilst it is in orbital transit over Ireland, but it would take another half orbit for it to re enter the earth's atmosphere, which would mean it would come down in pieces into the pacific ocean. You cannot just take a pot shot at a satellite in orbit and have it fall vertically down at the point in the orbit that it was intercepted, the momentum is just too great. Its just that in order to ensure a pacific ocean arrival, they need to hit it as it is in transit over Ireland. Of course, some pieces could in theory come down at a later stage anywhere in the orbit which has been described! Just a thought!

Michael Robertson, Brighton, UK

A suspicious mind would suspect the operation will be more about military ability than public safety.

And thank you for mentioning the shower of man-made objects that rain down from earth orbit. The American papers, that I've read, didn't mention that little tidbit for some reason.

DanO, Mount Vernon, USA

If this thing crashes in smidereens over parts of Ireland I presume it'll sproud shamrocks in celebration of St. Patrick's Day?

Garreth Byrne, Nanchang, China

For those who take a more cynical view, the reason given appears very convenient. How many satellites fall to earth every year, and what type of fuel do those satellites use? I am not accepting the premise and I am find the public's acceptance unbelieveable. The story insults one's intelligence.

Maybe the next time another country wants to test an ABM system they will use safety as a reason too. Frankly, I am disappointed that my country's government would employ such a lame excuse. I would have preferred that the US government would just admit that its testing a ABM.

Ted M, Seattle, USA/WA

Remember the USA's pet Nazi rocket-scientist, Werner von Braun and his biography which he titled:-

"I Aimed For The Stars"

To which some British cynic added the rider:-

"But I Sometimes Hit London"

RobM, Boca Grande, FL

As Rand Simberg observed, you can't shoot down an orbiting satellite. All you can do is explode one large object into many smaller objects, which will continue in orbit.

It may make sense to break a large satellite into many smaller pieces when it about to drop out of orbit anyway. Small pieces are less likely to cause damage on Earth. That's presumably the reasoning behind the plan to explode the American satellite.

As I understand it, the Chinese satellite was not about to drop out of orbit. So exploding it into many pieces simply created a serious hazard for space navigation that will continue for as long as the pieces remain in orbit.

CalAussie, San Jose, California,