Get the latest tech news

Somebody Moved UK's Oldest Satellite, No-One Knows Who or Why


The UK's oldest satellite, Skynet-1A, mysteriously shifted from its original orbit above East Africa to a new position over the Americas, likely due to a mid-1970s command whose origins remain unknown. "The question is who that was and with what authority and purpose?" asks the BBC. From the report:...

From the report:"It's still relevant because whoever did move Skynet-1A did us few favours," says space consultant Dr Stuart Eves. "It's now in what we call a 'gravity well' at 105 degrees West longitude, wandering backwards and forwards like a marble at the bottom of a bowl. It might be tempting to reach for a conspiracy theory or two, not least because it's hard to hear the name "Skynet" without thinking of the malevolent, self-aware artificial intelligence (AI) system in The Terminator movie franchise.

Get the Android app

Or read this on Slashdot

Read more on:

Photo of oldest satellite

oldest satellite

Related news:

News photo

Somebody moved the UK's oldest satellite in the mid 1970s, but no one knows who