While other MilBloggers get their beauty sleep, the great news is the AEGIS/SM-3 combination has successfully engaged the failed spy satellite at about 10:30PM EST today.

From CNN:

WASHINGTON (CNN) — An inoperable U.S. spy satellite orbiting about 150 miles above Earth was struck Wednesday by a missile fired from a U.S. Navy cruiser, military sources told CNN.

A Delta II rocket lifts off, carrying a reconnaissance satellite that failed hours later.

The Pentagon said the window of opportunity to strike the 5,000-pound satellite opened Wednesday, when the space shuttle Atlantis landed in Florida. The Pentagon wanted to be sure the shuttle would not be struck by any debris from a destroyed satellite.

But earlier the official said conditions had to be perfect, and that was not the case Wednesday with swells in the Pacific Ocean west of Hawaii running slightly higher than Navy would like.

CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said six- to eight-foot swells were reported in the area through Wednesday night and were not expected to come down until Friday or Saturday.
[…]

Great news. In a scenario where two fast moving objects have to make a “skin-to-skin” meeting on the end of space with a closing velocity of 22,000 mph, it happened, even while the ship wallowed about in moderate seas in the Pacific.

So, BZ to the crew of USS LAKE ERIE (CG-70) and their supporting tracking units, USS RUSSELL (DDG-73) and USS DECATUR (DDG-59)!

And, just in case you wondered, China has voiced “concerns” over this act to the US. You know, the country who already shot down a satellite, but without notification to the world community and no regard for the debris field it left in orbit to possibly damage other satellites and space vehicles. Anyhow, since they used a land based silo system, and not a mobile, sea bore one, I’m sure they are concerned, since we have engineers who can solve for an intercept between a mobile launch platform and the target.