[Vermont Lt]

I wonder where the XB35 has been flying around. I know that it is usually not out that far…but if it were practicing anti sat operations using defunct sats is the way to test it.

[Flatus I. Maximus]

Or did Skynet-1A decide to move itself???

(Cue Terminator theme music.)

[Skwor]

Interesting an amateur HAM operator could theoretically communicate with such a satellite. Perfectly legal for HAMs to get telemetry from some types of satellites.

Unlikely given I am sure such commands are encrypted and protected but who knows given how old it is?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

My dad led an ultra secret military space project around the time of this Brit / US satellite project. All he would tell me was “Son, you would not believe how important this project is to defense.” He visited the Blue Cube many times. I live close to where the Blue Cube used to be and he visited us often on his business trips.

I met an Air Force officer 15 years ago at a company I worked at and he told me “I know exactly what your dad was managing. That’s all I can tell you.”

[pburiak]

It’s becoming self-aware.

We’re doomed unless John Connor saves us.

[alancarp]

"...the satellite could pose problems for other nearby satellites in geostationary orbit..."

That's hilarious. The surface area of the earth itself is approximately 197 million square miles. There are as many as 600 geostationary satellites essentially parked around the earth.

Now expand that sphere to a radius of over 26,000 miles -- where those satellites sit. That's roughly 8.5x10^9 or 8,500,000,000 (8.5 billion) square miles.

I don't think 600 of any-sized object is going to have any problems over that much real estate,

[SunkenCiv]

In 1969 the UK launched Skynet-1A, a military communications satellite placed in orbit above the east coast of Africa in order to relay information to British armed forces. It stopped working due to hardware issues around 18 months after it started operating...

Sarah Connor.

[Rural_Michigan]

Or maybe what we know about orbits isnt all there is to know. Probably the more likely option.

[Lockbox]

Why does the image of Johnny in the movie Airplane pulling out the light cord for the runway come to mind?

[BFW]

One guy in his back yard with a directional antenna “no you can’t” do that they said” “hold my beer” he said....

[iontheball]

If the thrusters are still working, why don’t they move it to a safe place?

[T.B. Yoits]

Up here in space
I'm looking down on you
My lasers trace
Everything you do

You think you've private lives
Think nothing of the kind
There is no true escape
I'm watching all the time

I'm made of metal
My circuits gleam
I am perpetual
I keep the country clean

I’m elected electric spy
I’m protected electric eye

Always in focus
You can't feel my stare
I zoom into you
But you don't know I'm there

I take a pride in probing
All your secret moves
My tearless retina takes
Pictures that can prove

I'm made of metal
My circuits gleam
I am perpetual
I keep the country clean

I’m elected electric spy
I’m protected electric eye

Electric eye
In the sky
Feel my stare
Always there

There's nothing you can do about it
Develop and expose
I feed upon your every thought
And so my power grows

I'm made of metal
My circuits gleam
I am perpetual
I keep the country clean

I'm elected electric spy
I'm protected electric eye

I'm elected electric spy
I'm elected
Protective, detective
Electric eye

Judas Priest 'Electric Eye'

[Libloather]

It stopped working due to hardware issues around 18 months after it started operating...

Early EV?