Unexpected Blast from the Past: 57-Year-Old NASA Satellite Sends Mysterious Signal to Earth!

About a year ago, scientists in Australia detected an unusual burst of electromagnetic radiation. This pulse was so intense that it overshadowed every other signal in the sky. Initially, its source was a mystery. But upon further investigation, researchers found it came from an old satellite, known as Relay-2, that had been orbiting Earth for decades without purpose.

NASA launched Relay-2 on January 21, 1964. This satellite, along with its twin Relay-1, was designed to study the Van Allen radiation belts. Relay-2 functioned until June 9, 1967, when its two transponders failed. For nearly 60 years, it drifted silently in space—until it sent out that unexpected signal.

On June 13, 2024, astronomers at the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder captured a fast radio burst (FRB) that lasted less than 30 nanoseconds. Clancy James, a Curtin University researcher, remarked, “We were thrilled, thinking maybe we’d found a new pulsar or another cosmic object. This pulse was incredibly powerful and dominated the sky for that fleeting moment.”

The initial belief was that the signal originated from far away in the universe. However, detailed analysis revealed that the source was indeed the long-lost Relay-2. You can learn more about this discovery in a recent research paper.

Fast radio bursts are intense pulses of radio waves that last only a few milliseconds. They can release energy equivalent to what an entire galaxy emits in that brief moment. NASA notes that the June 2024 FRB was remarkably strong and coincided with Relay-2’s position overhead, making it especially clear.

What caused Relay-2 to emit this signal? That remains a puzzle. Scientists think it might have stored electricity over the years, releasing it all at once. Another theory suggests it could have been struck by a micrometeorite, causing a small burst of plasma. Experts like astrophysicist Dr. Sarah Milner emphasize that such events highlight the unpredictable nature of space and technology.

With an increasing number of defunct satellites now floating in space, the challenge for scientists will only grow. Differentiating genuine cosmic signals from the noise created by malfunctioning hardware will become increasingly important. As technology improves, monitoring and understanding these signals may reveal more about our universe and our past interactions with it. Keep an eye out; the next message from space might come from an unexpected source.

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