A missile fired to shoot down an out-of-control spy satellite orbiting 130 miles above the Earth’s surface successfully destroyed the hazardous onboard fuel tank, US officials said today.

The US is pursuing a multibillion-dollar programme to develop the next generation of spy satellites, the first major effort of its kind since the Pentagon cancelled the ambitious and costly Future Imagery Architecture system two years ago, according to US officials.

A secret satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office was launched into orbit from California yesterday by a giant Titan 4B rocket, the US Air Force said.

The FBI believes a retired US Air Force sergeant they have arrested on spying charges tried to share sensitive defence secrets with Libya.