In the 1970s, a small experimental satellite known as IRCB vanished into thin air while in orbit. Despite being launched alongside a larger spy satellite during the Cold War era, the IRCB malfunctioned upon deployment and was never able to inflate to its intended size. As a result, it became useless for its original purpose. Astronomers lost track of the satellite shortly after its launch, only managing to relocate it in the 1990s before losing sight of it again.
After more than two decades of being untracked, the US Space Force’s 18th Space Defence Squadron has found the IRCB once more. The rediscovery has sparked questions about how the satellite managed to evade radar detection for so long. Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell speculated that the object being tracked might be a piece of the balloon that didn’t deploy correctly, making it difficult to detect on radar.
While this discovery may not hold much scientific significance on its own, it underscores the challenges of tracking objects in space. It also brings attention to an ongoing issue: space debris and the need for better management and tracking systems to prevent collisions and overcrowding in Earth’s orbit. With countless objects whirling around our planet at breakneck speeds, finding ways to keep them all safe is essential for ensuring that our exploration of space continues without incident or danger.