Operation Burnt Frost: A View From Inside

Abstract

This viewpoint summarizes my personal involvement in Operation Burnt Frost, the U.S. government interagency undertaking to mitigate the human casualty risk of the reentry of USA-193 in 2008. In fact, my unique involvement dates back to shortly after the launch of the spacecraft, more than a year before its destruction. This operation has been the subject of erroneous public speculations surrounding the origin and motivation of this activity and which remain to this day. Finding no authoritative published work to present a fuller, more accurate picture of the background and exciting 2 months of Operation Burnt Frost, I offer this summary to clarify the endeavor.