Strange: Dead Satellite Springs to Life, Mysteriously Travels Halfway Around the World

Space has once again puzzled scientists with an unexpected event: a defunct satellite from over 50 years ago, Skynet-1A, has somehow drifted thousands of miles from its intended position. Originally meant to spend its final days in a stable, collision-free orbit, the satellite is now inexplicably hovering above the Americas.

Launched in 1969 for British military communications, Skynet-1A was positioned in geostationary orbit over Eastern Africa. Once its mission ended, it was supposed to move to a “graveyard” orbit, away from active satellites. However, the satellite has shifted to a new location, likely through an unknown command, according to a BBC report. Now, positioned 36,000 km above the Americas, the satellite poses a risk of colliding with other space debris.

BBC reporter Jonathan Amos investigated this unexpected movement and suggests the satellite may have been redirected in the 1970s, possibly involving U.S. intervention. The report claims that Skynet-1A couldn’t have drifted on its own; instead, its thrusters were likely fired to push it westward.

Skynet-1A’s relocation also didn’t follow typical protocols. Built in the U.S. and launched on an American Air Force Delta rocket, the satellite was initially controlled by the U.S. before being handed to the Royal Air Force. However, documents reveal that the U.S. resumed control in June 1977, when it may have initiated the satellite’s unexpected shift toward the Americas rather than directing it to a higher orbit in the designated satellite “graveyard.”

This anomaly has prompted the UK’s Ministry of Defence to monitor Skynet-1A closely to avoid potential collisions. The growing presence of space debris remains a serious issue, with experts warning that collisions in orbit are increasingly a matter of “when,” not “if.”