NASA’s Long-Lost Relay 2 Satellite Sends Mysterious Signal After 57 Years

 

In an extraordinary event that has left scientists astonished, NASA’s Relay 2 satellite — inactive since 1967 — has suddenly emitted a powerful radio signal nearly 60 years after it was presumed dead.

A Signal from the Past

According to reports from the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP), an extremely short yet powerful radio burst lasting just 30 nanoseconds was detected on June 13, 2025. Initial estimates placed the signal's origin just 2,800 miles from Earth, ruling out deep space sources.

After further triangulation, experts concluded that the source of the radio burst was NASA’s Relay 2, an experimental communication satellite launched in 1964 and considered inactive since 1967, when both of its onboard transponders failed.

Learn more about Relay satellite missions on NASA’s official Relay satellite page.

What Could Have Caused the Signal?

Experts are currently debating two leading theories behind this sudden emission:

1. Electrostatic Discharge: Over decades, the satellite may have accumulated static electric charge. A sudden discharge could release a radio frequency flash, similar to natural phenomena like lightning.

2. Micrometeoroid Impact: A micrometeoroid or space dust particle might have struck the satellite, producing plasma that emitted a brief radio pulse.

Read more about micrometeoroid impacts on spacecraft at NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office.

Why It Matters

What makes this signal so fascinating is the incredibly short duration—just 30 nanoseconds—a length not typically associated with current satellite technology. Researchers emphasize that the event is likely an accidental emission, not a sign of reactivation, but still provides a unique opportunity to study long-dormant spacecraft behavior.

Curious about fast radio bursts (FRBs)? Explore cosmic phenomena at the SETI Institute.

The Bigger Picture

This event highlights how space debris and inactive satellites may still interact with the space environment in unpredictable ways. It also raises questions about how we monitor and manage aging or abandoned spacecraft still orbiting Earth.