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A "large" US spy satellite has gone out of control and is expected to crash to Earth some time in late February or March, government sources say.
Officials speaking on condition of anonymity said the satellite had lost power and propulsion, and could contain hazardous materials.
The White House said it was monitoring the situation.
A spokesman said "numerous" satellites had come out of orbit and fallen back to Earth harmlessly over the years.
"We are looking at potential options to mitigate any possible damage this satellite may cause," said Gordon Johndroe, who speaks for the US National Security Council.
Questioned by The Associated Press, he would not be drawn on whether the US would try to destroy the satellite, perhaps with a missile.
An unnamed official quoted by AP said the US government was keeping lawmakers and other countries abreast of the situation.
The agency notes that the largest uncontrolled re-entry by a US space agency (Nasa) craft was Skylab, a 78-tonne abandoned space station that fell from orbit in 1979.
Its debris dropped harmlessly into the Indian Ocean and across a remote section of western Australia, the US news agency says.
In 2002, officials believe debris from a 7,000-pound (3,175-kg) science satellite hit the Earth's atmosphere and rained down over the Persian Gulf, a few thousand miles from where they first predicted it would crash.
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Satellite could plummet to Earth
Officials speaking on condition of anonymity said the satellite had lost power and propulsion, and could contain hazardous materials.
The White House said it was monitoring the situation.
A spokesman said "numerous" satellites had come out of orbit and fallen back to Earth harmlessly over the years.
"We are looking at potential options to mitigate any possible damage this satellite may cause," said Gordon Johndroe, who speaks for the US National Security Council.
Questioned by The Associated Press, he would not be drawn on whether the US would try to destroy the satellite, perhaps with a missile.
An unnamed official quoted by AP said the US government was keeping lawmakers and other countries abreast of the situation.
The agency notes that the largest uncontrolled re-entry by a US space agency (Nasa) craft was Skylab, a 78-tonne abandoned space station that fell from orbit in 1979.
Its debris dropped harmlessly into the Indian Ocean and across a remote section of western Australia, the US news agency says.
In 2002, officials believe debris from a 7,000-pound (3,175-kg) science satellite hit the Earth's atmosphere and rained down over the Persian Gulf, a few thousand miles from where they first predicted it would crash.
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Satellite could plummet to Earth
