DATE= 10/23/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-221640
TITLE=PENTAGON/LASER TEST (S-ONLY)
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE U-S DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SAYS LAST WEEK'S TEST-FIRING
OF A LASER BEAM TARGETING AN AIR FORCE SATELLITE FAILED TO
PROVIDE THE PENTAGON WITH ALL THE INFORMATION IT WANTED ABOUT HOW
VULNERABLE AMERICAN SATELLITES MIGHT BE TO A LASER ATTACK BY A
HOSTILE NATION. MORE ABOUT A CONTROVERSIAL TEST THAT HAS RAISED
NEW CONCERNS IN RUSSIA FROM V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT NICK SIMEONE
AT THE PENTAGON.
TEXT: THE PENTAGON IS STILL ASSESSING THE RESULTS BUT IT APPEARS
THE AGING SATELLITE MALFUNCTIONED AFTER IT WAS HIT BY THE LASER
BEAM AND THEN FAILED TO SEND BACK ALL THE DATA THAT THE ARMY HAD
HOPED FOR.
SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS THE TWO MINUTE TEST CONDUCTED LAST
FRIDAY FROM NEW MEXICO'S WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE FELL SHORT OF
GIVING THE PENTAGON A FULL PICTURE OF HOW VULNERABLE AMERICAN
SATELLITES MAY BE TO ENEMY LASERS.
/// BACON ACT ///
WE DID NOT GET AS MUCH VISUAL INFORMATION, THAT IS
INFORMATION BACK FROM THE SENSORS ON THE SATELLITE AS WE
WANTED. WE WANTED VISUAL INFORMATION THAT WOULD TELL US
ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF THE LASER ON THE SENSORS AT HIGH
POWER.
/// END ACT ///
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE ARMY HAS FIRED A LASER AT AN ORBITING
SATELLITE SEVERAL HUNDRED KILOMETERS ABOVE EARTH, AND IT HAS
SPARKED CONCERNS FROM THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS CRITICS
IN THE UNITED STATES WHO WORRY IT MARKS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD A
SPACE BASED ARMS RACE. THE PENTAGON DENIES THAT AND MAINTAINS
THIS EXPERIMENT WAS PURELY FOR DEFENSIVE REASONS AND VIOLATED NO
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES. (SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/GKT/PT
23-Oct-97 4:20 PM EDT (2020 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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