 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Congress Questions ABM Cost
Washington (AFP June 19, 2000 - The proposed US national missile defense is under fire as the investigative arm of the US Congress released a report questioning its efficiency, costs, and timeline as well as the ability to asses the threats it is designed to fight. In a report released Monday, the General Accounting Office (GAO) indicated that it would be difficult to determine whether or not the system would work properly because of strict limits on testing. "The performance and schedule risks remain significant because of the technical challenge, test limitations and the ambitious schedule," for deployment, the report said. The office also said it was unable to assess the threats of missile attack against the United States. "The intercontinental missile threat posed by rogue nations is uncertain, which increases performance risk," the report said. The national missile defense system under development by the United States is designed to hit a missile with a missile in space by using early warning satellites, radars and computers to guide the interceptor missile to its target. According to the GAO, the technical challenges the system faces increase the likelihood that its deployment will be delayed and the cost of its development will increase. The cost is currently estimated at 60 billion dollars. "Because the program has a very aggressive schedule, it is vulnerable to delays," the report said. President Bill Clinton is to decide later this year whether to deploy the first phase of the system, consisting of 100 Alaska-based interceptors linked to a phased array radar and early warning satellites. Copyright 2000 AFP. All rights reserved. The material on this page is provided by AFP and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. CommunityEmail This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Space
Satellite Launch To Boost DTH In India
Calcutta, India (SPX) Dec 28, 2005The successful launch Thursday of India's heaviest satellite from spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana may have boosted the country's space research efforts to yet another level, but it has also lifted the spirits of at least three Direct-To-Home televisions broadcasters, one of which has been waiting for years to launch its services in India. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
