US Satellite Shot - Needed for Safety or a Weapons Test?

Well Russia says it's just a veiled weapons test. But has a NASA engineer that has at least heard the word "hydrazine" before today, I think there is room for concern. I was surprised what survived from Challenger, video tapes with data still on them, science experiment data, and other things all survived. This Satellite failed days after launch, so it's tanks are FULL and reasonably could be a hazard to anyone near an impact site.

But that doesn't mean it won't be a great weapons test also!! And if it really has happened like the US says, it is a great SHORT NOTICE test of a weapons system. An excellent opportunity not to be passed up.

Plus, it is very different from China's recent test. First, we are telling everyone beforehand. Second, this satellite is days away from reentering the atmosphere - therefore it is much lower than other operational satellites and the debris will be in the same low orbit and not harm any other satellite. The debris will also re-enter the atmosphere in a few days or weeks. The Chinese satellite was not functioning but in a normal orbit, it's debris caused lots of problems with other operating satellites.

Russia: US Satellite Shot a Weapons Test

As a side thought, wouldn't it be GREAT if this satellite wasn't a "failed" imaging satellite at all? Maybe it was launched just to be a target. They could even have some control over it and have picked the time for this test. If this becomes a conspiracy theory I want credit for mentioning it first!! (I haven't read this anywhere else, but I'm sure others have thought of it or even written about it, but I should get some credit for starting an unfounded rumor, and my NASA credentials might even give it an unfounded air of plausibility.)

Anyways, I would hope our military could pull something like this off, I mean all the alien technology has to be good for something.