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- cross-posted to:
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Summary
The UK’s oldest satellite, Skynet-1A, launched in 1969, has mysteriously shifted from its original orbit over Africa to a high-risk position over the Americas.
It’s suspected that in the 1970s, Skynet-1A was intentionally moved west, possibly by U.S. controllers, but records confirming who made this decision and why are missing.
Now inactive, the satellite poses collision risks to active satellites, as it occupies a congested orbit at 105 degrees West longitude.
The UK may eventually need to consider relocating Skynet-1A or removing it altogether to mitigate risks from space debris.
wait, 55 years old satellite still has fuel for thrusters?
If I know correctly, some satellites have ionic propellers, needing just electricity to function.
from the sound of it, no, the article suggests that someone probably commanded them to fire back in the 70s while the thing still worked, and its just unclear when exactly this was and who did it.
And it took 50 years to notice?
No, it would have been detected by various systems pretty much immediately. Those systems are military though, and probably wouldn’t tell the general public about the movement of military satellites
It’s also conceivable that it was detected in that orbit but not recognised, so it was treated as a mystery object