Fiona Nanna, ForeMedia News

5 minutes read. Updated 5:10AM GMT Tues, 12th November, 2024

In a mystery stretching across decades, Skynet-1A, the UK’s oldest satellite launched in 1969, has been found orbiting in an unexpected position, with no records revealing how or why it moved. Originally stationed high above Africa’s east coast, the satellite served as a communications relay for British military forces. However, decades after it ceased functioning, Skynet-1A is now half a planet away, hovering 22,369 miles (36,000 km) above the Americas. According to experts, this shift was no accident.

Dr. Stuart Eves, a space consultant, emphasizes the continued relevance of Skynet-1A’s mysterious repositioning. “Whoever moved Skynet-1A did us few favours,” he explained, noting that the satellite now occupies a ‘gravity well’ at 105 degrees West longitude. “It wanders in this region like a marble at the bottom of a bowl, bringing it dangerously close to active satellite traffic. If it collides, we’re responsible because it’s ‘our’ satellite.” Dr. Eves has thoroughly researched this enigma, combing through the National Archives and consulting with satellite experts worldwide, yet he remains unable to trace the satellite’s end-of-life trajectory.

The Origins of Skynet-1A: A UK Satellite with American Roots

Built by the now-defunct Philco Ford aerospace company and launched aboard a US Air Force Delta rocket, Skynet-1A was a landmark in telecommunications, allowing British forces to securely communicate as far away as Singapore. Despite its British designation, Dr. Aaron Bateman’s research notes that Skynet-1A was largely an American achievement in terms of technology and logistics. “From a technological standpoint, Skynet-1A was more American than British,” he said, explaining how the satellite’s control initially lay with the United States before its eventual handover to the UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF).

Longtime satellite operator Graham Davison recalls how the Americans thoroughly tested the software before transferring control to the RAF’s operations center at Oakhanger in Hampshire. “The Americans originally controlled the satellite in orbit,” Davison said, adding, “They tested all of our software against theirs.”

This transfer of control may hold a clue. Rachel Hill, a PhD student at University College London, has been investigating the Skynet programme’s history and discovered that Oakhanger would occasionally shift control to a US satellite facility in Sunnyvale, California, known as the Blue Cube, during maintenance periods. “Perhaps the satellite was moved during one of these transfers?” she speculates.

The Risks of Skynet-1A’s Current Orbit

Skynet-1A’s current location puts it in close proximity to operational satellites, which brings with it a constant risk of collision. At 105 degrees West, satellites can experience near-approaches of up to 50 kilometers with Skynet-1A as frequently as four times a day. While this distance may seem safe, the high velocities at which objects move in orbit mean that even minor collisions could lead to destructive debris showers.

Such risks are monitored by the UK’s National Space Operations Centre, which informs other satellite operators of potential close approaches. Dr. Eves points out that the UK government may eventually need to consider relocating or removing the satellite to prevent any accidental collisions.

Emerging Solutions for Space Debris Removal

Space debris poses an escalating challenge. A single collision could generate thousands of pieces of high-speed debris, each with the potential to damage or destroy other satellites. Moriba Jah, professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, warns against the cumulative risk, likening such collisions to “super-spreader events” in space. “These pieces of junk are like ticking time bombs,” he says.

The UK Space Agency is actively investing in technologies designed to capture defunct hardware at lower orbital altitudes. Meanwhile, both the US and China have demonstrated successful removals of derelict objects from higher altitudes like Skynet-1A’s orbit. These developments offer a glimmer of hope in managing the thousands of defunct objects crowding Earth’s orbit.

For now, Skynet-1A remains a mystery. Its relocation marks a curious chapter in space history, and as attitudes around space sustainability evolve, it serves as a stark reminder of the long-term consequences of early satellite deployments. With the ongoing advancement of debris-removal technologies, the question remains: will Skynet-1A finally be taken to its “orbital graveyard,” or will it continue its silent drift above the Americas, a relic of the past in the ever-changing landscape of space?

Meta Description: Skynet-1A, the UK’s oldest satellite, mysteriously shifted orbit with no record of who moved it or why. This 50-year-old relic now drifts dangerously close to active satellites, posing a potential collision hazard.