A NASA satellite that had been inactive in space for nearly six decades unexpectedly emitted a powerful radio signal, leaving astronomers stunned. The brief but intense signal was detected by radio telescopes in Western Australia and lasted only a fraction of a second, briefly outshining entire galaxies and stars.
Relay 2, a communications satellite launched by NASA in 1964, had been declared defunct after both its transmitters failed in 1967. However, experts believe the signal was triggered by an external event, such as an electrostatic discharge or a micrometeoroid strike. The burst emitted about 400 watts of power, similar to a small microwave oven.
Australian scientists made the discovery while scanning the sky for fast radio bursts (FRBs), short, high-energy flashes typically originating from deep space. However, this signal was unique in that it originated from within Earth’s orbit, just above the planet’s surface. The burst was detected by the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) network of 36 radio telescopes.
Researchers estimated the signal’s strength at over three million janskys, roughly 100 billion times stronger than typical smartphone signals. Despite lasting only nanoseconds, the radio burst was remarkably strong and well-defined, allowing scientists to analyze it in detail.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14832789/Dead-NASA-satellite-inexplicably-comes-life-fire-huge-pulse-lit-sky.html