Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Marshall informed Gates in a press conference “that the mission was a success, (and) that the missile had intercepted the decaying satellite.” The satellite contained a 1,000 pound tank of toxic hydrazine fuel that would have potentially posed a threat to humans if the tank survived re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. The missile hit the satellite roughly  3 minutes after launch as the spacecraft, roughly the size of a school bus, traveled in polar orbit at more than 17,000 mph. Navy officials said that any remaining debris will burn up upon re-entry to the earth’s atmosphere. Last Thursday, China requested information about the operation and voiced caution about the potential international impact of the operation. China has been the focus of international scrutiny since it shot down one of its own weather satellites on January 11, 2007 in what was widely seen as an anti-satellite test.