NASA’s Relay 2 satellite, which operated in the 1960s, has allegedly sent a radio pulse back to Earth. The signal was detected by researchers at the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder on June 13, 2024. However, scientists are skeptical about its origin, suggesting that the signal could be attributed to electrostatic discharge (ESD) or a micrometeoroid impact.
Relay 2 was an experimental communication satellite launched in 1964, but it ceased operations in September 1965. Although its transponders were thought to have been silent since then, researchers are now questioning this assumption. One possibility is that the satellite accumulated electrostatic charge and released a discharge, which could be misinterpreted as a signal.
A second explanation suggests that a micrometeoroid impact could release a cloud of plasma, causing a signal that might be mistaken for an extraterrestrial transmission. Studying such events could help protect spacecraft from similar occurrences.
Recent examples of “zombie satellites” have demonstrated that it is possible for satellites to re-establish contact after years of inactivity. The Galaxy 15 satellite, launched in 2005, rebooted itself in December 2010 after drifting out of its orbital slot. Another notable case is AMSAT-OSCAR 7, an amateur radio satellite that resumed communication in June 2002, 21 years after initially being thought to be defunct.
A paper describing the new detection is accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal and is available on ArXiv. Further research is needed to determine the true origin of the signal, but scientists are eager to explore this possibility and learn more about the mysterious event.
Source: https://www.iflscience.com/mysterious-powerful-radio-pulse-traced-back-to-nasa-satellite-thats-been-dead-since-1967-79712