UK’s oldest satellite veers miles off track on its own leaving scientists confused
In a shocking turn of events for the space industry in the United Kingdom, scientists recently discovered that the country’s oldest satellite has veered deep into space, thousands of miles off track.
Skynet-1A, a satellite that was launched into space in 1969 soon after man’s first lunar landing, and was originally positioned over East Africa to facilitate British military communications.
However, recently, it was found by scientists to have relocated and hovering above the Americas, far from its expected trajectory over the Indian Ocean, the Daily Express reported.
What scientists found baffling about this was that they had no clear explanation of who moved it or how.
According to the scientists, orbital mechanics suggest that a half-tonne satellite shouldn’t drift that far on its own which leads to the conclusion that it was intentionally moved.
Nobody can say who would want or be able to do such a thing. But is the satellite’s relocation a good thing or a bad thing?
Space consultant Dr Stuart Eves told the BBC: “It’s still relevant because whoever did move Skynet-1A did us few favours.
“It’s now in what we call a ‘gravity well’ at 105° West longitude, wandering backwards and forwards like a marble at the bottom of a bowl. And unfortunately this brings it close to other satellite traffic on a regular basis.
“Because it’s dead, the risk is it might bump into something, and because it’s ‘our’ satellite, we’re still responsible for it.
The satellite was made in the United States and put in space by a US Air Force (USAF) Delta rocket.
Thanks to veterans of the programme that put it in space, the satellite revolutionised UK telecommunications capacity and allowed London to communicate securely with British forces, such as Singapore.
Rachel Hill, a PhD student from University College London, has reviewed documents and believes that plausible explanations exist for how the satellite has arrived at its present location.
She said: “A Skynet team from Oakhanger would go to the USAF satellite facility in Sunnyvale (colloquially known as the Blue Cube) and operate Skynet during ‘Oakout’. This was when control was temporarily transferred to the US while Oakhanger was down for essential maintenance. Perhaps the move could have happened then?”