User:Cap'n Refsmmat/ScienceNews/January 7, 2005

Missile defense failure
The US missile defense shield has failed in another critical test--the missile is nearly in service. Early this morning (December 15th), in the test range in Alaska, the target missile took off with instruments and a dummy warhead. The "interceptor" missile was to launch a few minutes later. But a few minutes before the planned launch, the missile experienced "an unknown anomaly" (government speak for "a problem) and automatically shut down, stopping the test.

This is one of many times this month the attempted test was aborted, other times due to weather or other mechanical failures. It is also the first time the missile was flying with the intended booster rocket (in earlier tests a substitute was used).

Source: