The United States has successfully destroyed an errant spy satellite, the Pentagon says.

The US National Reconnaissance Office lost contact with the satellite shortly after its launch in December 2006. The satellite contained 450 kilograms of toxic hydrazine propellant. “There was a reasonable chance that this hydrazine, if it fell in a populated area, would affect people,” General James Cartwright, head of US Strategic Command, told reporters.

On 21 February, the USS Lake Erie fired a modified Standard Missile 3 — normally used as part of the US missile-defence system — to strike the satellite as it passed 247 kilometres over the Pacific Ocean. Four days later, Pentagon officials confirmed that the missile had successfully destroyed the fuel tank.

Critics say that the shot was meant to demonstrate US anti-satellite capabilities to China, which conducted its own test in 2007. Cartwright denies that charge.