US intelligence agencies knew that China was planning an anti-satellite missile test but chose not to intervene after concluding that Beijing would not comply with requests to back down, the New York Times reported. The destruction of the aging weather satellite on January 11, which wasn't officially confirmed until two weeks later, was the first anti-satellite missile test by any country in more than 20 years. However, according to unnamed American officials cited by the newspaper, the US had already detected two previous tests by China – on July 7, 2005 and February 6, 2006 – both of which failed. In early January, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency warned that a test was possible and tracking of the weather satellite was intensified. But, despite beginning to draft a protest, the Bush administration decided to do nothing until after the test was completed.
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