Forgotten Satellite Unleashes Mysterious Radio Burst
Old NASA Tech Sends Unexpected Signal from Orbit
Astronomers were baffled when a powerful radio signal erupted from space, but its origin was even more surprising than its intensity. The source wasn’t a distant galaxy or exotic cosmic event, but a defunct NASA satellite, decades after it went silent.
Unexplained Emission
The unexpected radio wave, detected by the Askap radio telescope in Western Australia, lasted a mere 30 nanoseconds. This brief energy surge was so powerful it dwarfed everything else in the sky at the time. Scientists quickly realized it came from an unlikely source.
The origin was traced to Relay 2, a communications satellite launched in 1964. The satellite stopped functioning in 1967, but it continued to orbit the Earth. Its location at the time of the burst was verified by scientists on June 13, 2024.
“This was an incredibly powerful radio pulse that widely eclipsed everything else in the sky for a very short period,”
—Clancy James, Radioastronomy Institute of the University of Curtin
The team used software to link the signal’s location with data from the satellite’s orbit. They determined that the signal originated from the inactive Relay 2. Currently, there are around 7,800 satellites orbiting Earth (Union of Concerned Scientists 2024).
Unraveling the Mystery
The signal, detected between 695.5 and 1031.5 megahertz, didn’t match known Relay 2 transmissions. Researchers propose two theories for the signal. One idea involves a micrometeorite impact, which could create a plasma cloud and generate radio emissions. A more likely explanation points to electrostatic discharge caused by charge differences within the satellite’s structure.
James’s team is still investigating the signals. The case highlights how important it is to distinguish signals from natural and technological sources. As the amount of space debris grows, radio telescopes will face an increasingly complex task in separating signals.
Significance and Future Research
The burst is exceptional because it’s one of a few fast radio bursts identified within the Milky Way. The study represents a rare opportunity. It is not about a planned message but an unexpected trail of an object, and is a unique study opportunity.
