1 week ago
23
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The satellite Vanguard 1, launched on March 17, 1958, became the oldest man-made satellite still orbiting Earth. After 67 years in space, a group of scientists, aerospace engineers, and historians has proposed an effort to bring it back to Earth.
Weighing 1.46 kilograms, this satellite is an aluminum sphere with a diameter of 15 cm and an antenna span of 91 cm. Vanguard 1 is the first satellite to use solar cells to generate power, although it stopped transmitting signals in 1964 because the power output from the solar cells was no longer sufficient to power its transmitter.
"Yes, the satellite went silent in 1964 when the output of the solar cells dropped below the power needed to run the transmitter," said Matt Bille, an aerospace research analyst from Booz Allen Hamilton who led the research on the Vanguard 1 rescue scenario, quoted from a report by Space.com, Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
Although silent for more than 60 years, Vanguard 1 is still tracked through publicly available orbit data. This data also allows further observations with high-resolution sensors to determine if the satellite is still intact and its condition in space.
"We're not the first people to have the idea, and we hope we won't be the last," said Bille. "But we'll have to wait and see whether any entities with the needed capability decide the value to them is worth the expenditure."
Bille explained that if this satellite is successfully brought back, researchers can study the physical conditions of its components, such as solar cells, batteries, metals, and the impact of micrometeorite collisions or space debris over the decades.
"Our research indicated possible interest in the condition of the solar cells, batteries, and metals, along with the record of micrometeorite or debris strikes over such a long time," said Bille.
One proposed scenario is to bring Vanguard 1 to a lower orbit and then retrieve it, or send it to the International Space Station to be repackaged and brought back to Earth. After study, this satellite could be displayed as an artifact of astronautical archaeology, for example, at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
According to Bille, this mission could be a significant step forward in the development of space object relocation services proposed by the industry sector.
"For materials engineers and space historians, it would be a learning opportunity like no other," said Bille. "Retrieving Vanguard 1 would be a challenge, but an achievable and invaluable step forward for the entire U.S. space community."
Similar views were expressed by Bill Raynor of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the institution that developed and still owns Vanguard 1. "The results of the tracking of Vanguard-1's orbit provided much of the early data supporting the discovery and estimation of the Earth's oblateness, similar to a pear-shape," said Raynor.
He also added that if Vanguard 1 is successfully brought back, it would be an extraordinary opportunity for scientists and engineers to study the long-term effects of exposure to the space environment.
"For material and radiation effects scientists and engineers," Raynor added, "it would be an unprecedented opportunity for investigating the effects of long-term space environmental exposure," he said.
This proposal is still in the study phase and the party leading the mission has not been determined. However, the team hopes for support from private parties with historical or philanthropic interest in space achievements.
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