Washington: The US Defence Department is planning to shoot down a broken spy satellite expected to hit the Earth in early March, the Associated Press has learned.

US officials said today that the option preferred by the Bush administration will be to fire a missile from a US Navy cruiser, and shoot down the satellite before it enters Earth s atmosphere.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the options will not be publicly discussed until a Pentagon briefing later today.

The dead satellite is in a deteriorating orbit and is expected to hit the Earth the first week of March. Officials said the Navy would likely shoot down the satellite before then using a special missile modified for the task.

Other details about the missile and the targeting were not available. But the decision involves several US agencies, including the National Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Defence and the State Department.

Source : PTI