The U.S. issued warnings today to ships and planes to clear the area west of Hawaii in anticipation of what many believe will be the first effort Wednesday to shoot down the errant spy missile.

Non-functional and falling back to earth loaded with toxic fuel, President Bush made the decision last week to attempt to shoot the satellite down before it re-enters our atmosphere, at which time it will become much more erratic and could conceivably land in a populated area.

The worry is that the toxic fuel abroad, which solidified in space when the satellite failed to function properly, could pose serious health threats if it comes down in the wrong place.

While the satellite is still in orbit, its movement is highly controlled, allowing the Navy its best chance to bring the satellite down in the ocean away from populated areas.

Meanwhile, Russia has criticized the U.S., stating that the United States is using the disabled satellite as an excuse to test its space weaponry. The military and the administration have both denied any such thing, stating that Russia is using this as an opportunity to try to plant doubt in the minds of other nations as to the U.S.'s real intention in bringing the satellite down.

Shades of the old Cold War with the U.S.S.R.