Zombie Satellite! Defunct NASA Orbiter Emits Blazing Radio Burst After 60 Years
ASKAP detected a radio burst under 30 nanoseconds from the defunct NASA Relay-2 satellite on June 13, 2024, peaking at 300,000–350,000 Jy. The signal, traced to near-Earth space, marked a rare emission from a satellite retired in 1967. Scientists suspect either an electrostatic discharge or a micrometeoroid impact. Findings were reported in June 2025 by New Scientist and chron.com.