‘Lost’ satellite found after orbiting undetected for 25 years

After 25 years adrift, a satellite launched in 1974, the Infra-Red Calibration Balloon (S73-7), has been located with the help of tracking data from the U.S. Space Force.

Originally part of the Hexagon System, it was intended to inflate and serve as a calibration target for remote sensing equipment but failed to do so.

Drifting into obscurity, it was rediscovered in April.

According to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, the satellite’s low radar cross section made it difficult to detect.

Tracking space junk presents challenges due to the sheer number of objects in orbit, exceeding 20,000. Ground-based radar and optical sensors aid in tracking, but identifying each object is complex.

Matching orbital data with satellites’ paths is necessary, but variations in maneuvering plans or drifts can complicate tracking efforts, Space.com has reported.

read more: https://www.space.com/lost-satellite-found-us-space-force-data

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