Fake U.S. Spy Satellite Shoot Down?

Aegis Missile Defense System Has Grown Increasing Sophisticated

Satellite Shoot Down A Ruse?

This is how I'd do it. Build an expensive spy satellite and build a cheap mock satellite with same exterior dimensions and approximately the same mass. Quietly store the expensive spy satellite for a future launch, without anyone including those who built the device knowing. Then launch the mock satellite in a way in which it will be justifiable to shoot it down with an anti satellite weapon.

Then cook up a story that a race is on to modify an existing anti missile system on the Aegis and the need to shoot down a large dangerous out of control satellite.


U.S.S. Lake Erie Will Attempt To Shoot Down Ailing U.S. Spysat

But why the need for a ruse at all?

Probably international pressure, more specifically from China, to assuage North Korean fears. Perhaps as a face saving measure in light of any deals made regarding North Korea ending its nuclear weapons program. Despite any recent North Korean cooperation they are suspected of constant cheating, and delays, and so the U.S. may have decided to do its own thing - but just covertly enough so as not to push all the parties away from the negotiating table.

The Aegis system is deployed near North Korea, and being able to shoot down a low orbit missile would be an excellent demonstration of U.S. resolve, and abilities.

Then again, I'm just making this whole thing up as I'm going, so perhaps none of it makes much sense. Still it could be true considering the players involved. The critical issue would be whether it works, and if shooting down a satellite is even comparable to shooting down a warhead.

Then again most anti satellite testing has been criticized for being planned in such a way as to not be a realistic assessment of the system's abilities.

Still it will be interesting to see if the Aegis system can be rapidly modified to take down an orbital satellite (low orbit).