I don’t believe any of this for two simple reasons:
1. Battery life.
2. Orbit maintenance.
The Satellite has limited, non-regenerative resources. Not 50 years worth.
The batteries would have died from repeated use/recharging and the orbit would have decayed after having expended its limit fuel (probably pressurized gas), and bird would have de-orbited.
Depends on how high it was. Vanguard I (launched 1958) and the third stage of the rocket that orbited it are both still in orbit, and should stay in orbit for another 300 years or so.
I think the article indicates that they think the batteries are dead, but the solar cells aren't.
Not if, as noted above, it's in a 1700 mile high circular orbit.. BTW, Vanguard I (launched 1958) and the third stage of the rocket that orbited it are both still in orbit, and should stay in orbit for another 300 years or so.
I think the article indicates that they think the batteries are dead, but the solar cells aren't.
There is very little atmosphere 1700 miles up, so the drag no the bird is not much. She will be up there for a long time.
Only LEO sats naturally deorbit because they hit particles escaping or bounding from the atmosphere. Higher orbiting sats will orbit forever because it would take a tremendous amount of energy to change they’re speed/inertia.