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NASA has discovered that a satellite that was launched in 1964 is already orbiting the earth! Scientists discovered a strange phenomena last year dubbed rapid radio burst (FRB), which is similar to a very powerful and quick radio transmission. This often originates from far locations in space, including other galaxies, but this time it was caused by something orbiting the Earth. For more than 50 years, the Relay 2 has been floating around even though it hasn’t worked in a long time.
Although satellites have played a significant role in numerous NASA discoveries, this one is a little different. Let’s take a closer look at this tale!
What NASA found
With the aid of Australia’s ASKAP telescope, some scientists discovered what appeared to be a FRB on June 13, 2024, but it was only 4,500 kilometers away from Earth.
Astronomers discovered after careful examination that the signal matched the course of the Relay 2 satellite. NASA launched this in 1064, but it ceased operations in 1967. Therefore, receiving any signal from it seemed odd.
The meaning behind the initials FRB
The term “Fast Radio Burst” (FRB) refers to a powerful and swift burst of radio waves that originate in space. The remarkable aspect of this event is that, although FRBs typically originate from extremely far away—billions of light years—this one was found within Earth’s orbit.
How could this satellite keep sending signals?
When NASA scientists saw something odd, they discovered the satellite Relay 2. How is it feasible that this outdated satellite continues to emit signals while it is no longer operational? Scientists believe there are two plausible explanations for this:
- Electrostatic discharge: satellites accumulate electricity in space and, if they accumulate enough electricity, they can release it all at once and produce a radio signal.
- Hit of a tiny space rock: sometimes there are tiny space rocks floating in space called micrometeorites, that can hit satellites and produce a kind of energy explosion that can also send a signal.
In this instance, experts think the signal was produced by an accumulation of electricity.
The Relay 2
A satellite is a device that NASA sends into orbit for a variety of purposes, such as taking images of the planet, assisting with internet transmissions, or facilitating phone calls.
One of the earliest communication satellites that NASA launched was the Relay 2. Despite its brief existence, it never returned to Earth, therefore it is currently floating around and is regarded as space garbage.
Importance of this discovery
For a variety of reasons, this is still highly significant even though it may not be one of those NASA discoveries that provide us with amazing pictures or details on odd occurrences.
This discovery can teach us a lot, including how aged satellites can cause problems, how electric discharges can harm satellites, and how to discern true signals from outer space provided by human objects (like satellites). Because there are numerous operational satellites that are extremely helpful in our daily lives—think of GPS or the Internet—the latter example is crucial.
In essence, this NASA finding may not seem all that noteworthy, but it demonstrates that even defunct satellites may obstruct research and cause confusion for scientists. In order to prevent future errors and learn how to continue using space safely, they began studying other objects like this. You never know how helpful it might be for us, so you should read any news regarding NASA the next time you encounter it.
