Object heading toward Earth is mysteriously accelerating as scientist claims it is a long-lost spacecraft [Phobos 1]

.dailymail.com ^ | 11/11/2026 | Chris Melore

[BenLurkin]

A mysterious object once believed to be a simple space rock passing Earth is accelerating, and scientists cannot explain why.

A new study by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology has determined that 1998 KY26, a suspected near-Earth asteroid, is speeding up in a way that the gravity of the sun and planets cannot account for.

Simply put, the alleged space rock has something else powering it as it moves around our solar system.

Near-Earth objects are rocky space bodies that orbit the sun and sometimes come relatively close to Earth. This object is roughly 36 feet in length, about the size of a school bus, and spins once every 5.35 minutes – extremely fast for a space rock.

Although it is about 189million miles from Earth right now, its current course is taking it within 32million miles of our planet in 2028. The European Space Agency said the object's orbit will take it even closer in 2039, coming within 10million miles.

While 1998 KY26 is widely believed to be a relatively tiny rock, its unexplainable increase in speed has led one scientist to claim the mystery object is actually a long-lost spacecraft that disappeared four decades ago.

Harvard Professor Avi Loeb has theorized the object is really Phobos 1, a spacecraft launched by the former Soviet Union in 1988.

It was lost and vanished just months after its journey to Mars began, but Loeb believes 1998 KY26's size and mysterious movements could be proof astronomers have finally located the missing craft.

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TOPICS: Astronomy
KEYWORDS: 1998ky26; 3eyedatlas; aviloeb; bigfoot; mars; phobos1; ussr

[meyer]

It’s Veejer looking for Kirk!

[DoodleBob]

It better get here quick.

Kirk and Sulu are the only originals left.

[SunkenCiv]

Phobos 1
https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/heasarc/missions/phobos1.html

The Phobos 1 mission was launched on 7 July 1988 from Baykonur Cosmodrome. The primary objective of the mission, as with its sister probe Phobos 2, was to explore the larger of Mars’ two moons, Phobos. In addition to instrumentation to explore the Martian satellite, Phobos 1 also carried instruments to study the Sun, Mars, the interplanetary medium, and gamma-ray burst sources.

The Phobos 1 spacecraft was lost en-route to Mars after a faulty command sequence was sent from Earth caused the spacecraft to shut down. The shut down occurred on 2 September 1988.

[Salamander]

Better that than NOMAD.

[Salamander]

One is a conservative great man who has Dobes and horses.

The other likes men’s’ butts.

Ugh.

[Getready]

Dark accelerant. Why not?

[paulcissa]

The Phobos 1 spacecraft was lost en-route to Mars after a faulty command sequence was sent from Earth caused the spacecraft to shut down.

LOL! Oopsie! Those crazy Ruskies!

[Governor Dinwiddie]

[SaveFerris]

You know, NOMAD doesn’t sound that bad right now 😆

[chud]

Thanks for posting that info about Phobos 1.

This line jumped out at me:
"...a faulty command sequence was sent from Earth caused the spacecraft to shut down. The shut down occurred on 2 September 1988."

So it it shut down, I wonder why it's now accelerating?

[SaveFerris]

Are we going to have people insisting
that it’s a UFO like `Oumuamua?

[chud]

I was just reading the Wikipedia page about Phobos 1 and the section about the investigation into whose fault the probe shutdown was contains a funny (and very Russian) line:

After the incident at Yevpatoria, an investigation was immediately ordered to determine who was responsible for the failure. Nevertheless, disciplinary action was postponed until the completion of the Phobos 2 mission. This was to prevent the demoralization of the Phobos 2 team. Any penalization of the Phobos 1 team would create anxiety among the Phobos 2 team and reduce the chances of mission success. This postponement of punitive measures was urged by IKI director Roald Sagdeev. He quoted the former secret-service chief under Stalin, Lavrenti Beria, who said, "Let's make them work for now. We can shoot them all later." The investigation concluded with the dismissal of the ground control commander at Yevpatoria and the acknowledgement that the computer system was poorly designed.

[SunkenCiv]

acceleration of artificial satellites by the sun
https://search.brave.com/search?q=acceleration+of+artificial+satellites+by+the+sun

[SaveFerris]

Darn you spoiled all of the fun lol

[SaveFerris]

[It’s Veejer looking for Kirk!]

Check the inventory for bald-headed
women from India who go rogue terrorist

[SaveFerris]

[It’s Veejer looking for Kirk!]

Check the inventory for bald-headed
women from India who go rogue terrorist

[Georgia Girl 2]

Not another one. 🙄

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Rendezvous with Rama

[31R1O]

Better than the Event Horizon!