Long-Dead NASA Satellite Sparks Mystery With Unexpected Signal to Earth

The recent detection of a brief but powerful radio signal from the long-dead NASA Relay 2 satellite has sparked considerable intrigue within the scientific community. Launched in 1964 and inactive since 1967, Relay 2 unexpectedly emitted a burst of radio waves that outshone other celestial signals . This phenomenon was recorded by the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) on June 13, 2024, lasting less than 30 nanoseconds. The nature of this signal challenges existing paradigms regarding dormant satellites and raises questions about potential sources of interference in astrophysical observations.

On June 13, 2024, a team working at the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder heard something unexpected—a potential FRB that lasted less than 30 nanoseconds. The pulse, they note, was so strong that it eclipsed all of the other signals coming from the sky.

It was originally assumed that the signal had come from some distant object because that is the case for most FRBs. But subsequent analysis showed that it had come from a nearby source.

NASA originally launched the communication satellite from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in January 1964. 

Relay-2 was intended to support communications and assist with mapping radiation belts around Earth, but the satellite began losing transponders in 1966 and suffered a full communications failure on June 9, 1967.

So, what caused this sudden signal to reach Earth nearly 60 years later? Scientists have offered a few possibilities.

As to why Relay-2 suddenly emitted this signal, that’s a mystery. The scientists behind the detection believe that the satellite may have built up electricity over the years and then suddenly discharged it in a single powerful burst. Another possibility is that Relay-2 was struck by a micrometeorite or another object in orbit, resulting in the release of a small cloud of plasma, the researchers speculate.

Researchers hypothesize that the emission may have been triggered by an electrostatic discharge or a plasma discharge resulting from a micrometeoroid impact. This unexpected occurrence not only offers insights into satellite behavior post-mortem but also emphasizes the importance of monitoring space debris interactions with inactive spacecraft. Furthermore, understanding such signals could enhance remote sensing techniques for electrostatic discharges that pose risks to operational satellites .

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Sara H

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