Skynet-1A: Why did the UK's oldest space satellite end up thousands of miles from where it should have been?
www.bbc.com
Britain's oldest satellite is in the wrong part of the sky, but no-one's really sure who moved it.

Summary

The UK’s oldest satellite, Skynet-1A, launched in 1969, has mysteriously shifted from its original orbit over Africa to a high-risk position over the Americas.

It’s suspected that in the 1970s, Skynet-1A was intentionally moved west, possibly by U.S. controllers, but records confirming who made this decision and why are missing.

Now inactive, the satellite poses collision risks to active satellites, as it occupies a congested orbit at 105 degrees West longitude.

The UK may eventually need to consider relocating Skynet-1A or removing it altogether to mitigate risks from space debris.

  • Flying SquidMEnglish
    1•3 days ago

    Amateur radio astronomy is really cool. I was into optical telescopes for a long time, I used to have a really nice 8" Newtonian. But the radio telescope stuff is so complicated. The people doing it just for fun are so smart. I have a lot of respect for them.

    • Miles O'BrienEnglish
      2•3 days ago

      It’s a wee bit out of my bailiwick, sad to say. Their “hobby smarts” are my “oh my god this is the most concentration I’ve ever had to use to figure something out smarts” although regular astronomy is a hobby I can never get enough of

      All I’ve got for now is a tiny 4in newtonian , and though I do want to upgrade, it’s on the back burner for a few years while all my other expenses are sorted.

      Still orders of magnitude better than the refractor I used to have.