http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/0...own/index.html


Pentagon officials think a Navy missile scored a direct hit on the
fuel tank of an errant satellite late Wednesday, eliminating a toxic
threat to people on Earth.

The USS Lake Erie launches a missile as the satellite traveled over
the Pacific Ocean.

"We have a high degree of confidence we got the tank," Gen. James
Cartwright said at a Pentagon briefing Thursday morning.

A vapor cloud seen after the strike appears to be the toxic hydrazine
fuel, he said.

Cartwright also said the satellite appeared to be reduced to small
pieces.

"Thus far, we see nothing larger than a football," he said.

The missile that struck the satellite was launched from the ballistic
missile defense cruiser USS Lake Erie from the Pacific Ocean west of
Hawaii at 10:26 p.m. ET Wednesday, the general said. It struck the
satellite more than 130 miles above it 24 minutes later.