Nestled in a clearing in the forests of Roberts Creek is a little house and on that house are a few antennas looking up, and listening.
With a pandemic unfolding and time on his hands, amateur radio operator Scott Tilley found something new for them to hear.
On March 24 Tilley confirmed a U.S. military satellite launched during the Vietnam War is still alive. The so-called zombie satellite appears to be receiving and transmitting data essentially functioning like normal long after it should have been silenced.
Most zombie satellites are sending nonsense, said Tilley. Thats what makes LES-5 special. It still works after 53 years and we have data from the satellite itself to support that.
Launched July 1, 1967, Lincoln Experimental Satellite 5 (LES-5) is one of a series of satellites built by MITs Lincoln Laboratory under contract with the U.S. Department of Defence.
At the height of the Vietnam War satellite communications technology was still in its infancy, and the U.S. military needed a way to communicate in real time with soldiers deep in the rainforests of Southeast Asia.
The satellite program was intended to test the usefulness of communications in the ultrahigh frequency (UHF) band. The LES-5 was the first full-blown experiment, and was deployed very quickly, said Tilley, after the military realized just how valuable the UHF band would be. When youre reading the papers on it, you can get the sense from these researchers just how hard they were pushed to develop this technology and get it into orbit.
Despite its foundational contribution to telecommunications, LES-5s mission was meant to be short lived. A small battery on board was supposed to switch off the experimental satellite after five years in orbit. It only had one job and failed very, very badly, said Tilley.
Still, it was a pioneering mission. Today, society depends on the UHF band for television, mobile phones, global positioning systems (GPS), and of course, military communications.
Ironically, those modern conveniences of life have crowded that band with noise, so picking up the signal of that pioneering spacecraft was a feat in itself.
First, Tilley had to construct the appropriate antenna and install it on his roof to pick up the right frequency. Then, he had to run a series of tests to confirm the signal, including measuring the satellites transmission as it passed through a solar eclipse. An amateur radio operator in Italy independently verified LES-5 as it tracked over Europe.
Staying at home during the COVID-19 lockdown gave him the days to spend on the project, said Tilley. You can only garden so much until you need something else to do.
His needle in the haystack found, the next step was understanding how the satellite was operating, what it was transmitting and hearing.
Tilley scoured the Internet for research, uncovered declassified military documents, which he sent to peers in the United States and Spain who specialize in decoding satellite signals. The research was used to build software, allowing them to partially reverse-engineer the mission.
Tilley likens their decoding work to learning another language parsing out the satellites grammar and words over time, allowing the researchers to see amazing things.
Now Tilley and his collaborators can hear what LES-5 is hearing when it listens to a slice of the radio spectrum.We expect to understand more of the words it is sending in time as we gather more and more data from the satellite, he said.
Hunting for transparency
This isnt the first zombie satellite Tilley has tracked, and efforts like his and other hobbyists play a large and critical role in helping the public understand whats going on a few hundred kilometres over our heads.
In 2018 Tilley received worldwide attention after discovering the signal of NASAs IMAGE (Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration), a $154-million satellite that malfunctioned five years after launch in 2000. The agency considered it the second most important science-generating mission in the 2000s but was forced to abandon the project.
After IMAGE, Tilley began hunting for zombie sats satellites no longer under human control, but not totally inert. Maybe theyre actively controlling themselves, or else emitting signals.
IMAGE and LES-5 are the most coherent satellites of the approximately 50 he has found so far.
However, unlike NASAs response to his IMAGE discovery the agency rebooted a team and gave regular updates to the public MITs Lincoln Lab was initially radio silent.
When Tilley reached out, he heard nothing back. The lab didnt respond to a request for comment from National Public Radio when they covered the story at the end of April.
When Coast Reporter requested comment, Lincoln Labs communications manager David Granchelli confirmed the satellite is not actively being used since it completed its mission long ago.
We have been informed of a number of civilian observations which have been hypothesized to be its telemetry transmissions.Our onsite staffing has been reduced in response to COVID-19, but we plan to investigate further when we return to more normal staffing levels, said Granchelli.
If the LES-5 telemetry stream is active,it is a remarkable achievement to still have any functionality as it approaches its 54th birthday. The legacy of the entire series of Lincoln Experimental Satellites (LES) was already secure as they paved the way for most of the U.S. milsatcom systems, but these longevity milestones are a nice additional accomplishment at the end of a long career.
In the case of both IMAGE and LES-5, the question of what happens at the end of a long career hangs in the air like so much space dust.
Its a question that continues to motivate Tilley and one of his collaborators, Dr. Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
McDowell hunts black holes for his day job, and in his spare time documents objects launched into space, their payloads and basic orbital parameters, and then studies how well countries are complying with international law and treaty obligations.
For McDowell, the recovery of LES-5 emphasizes the importance of satellites switching off properly at the end of their mission.
The concern, he said, is that if lots of old satellites are still transmitting, theyll cause interference with new satellites, which can devolve into international disputes.
Tilley wants to create a comprehensive list of how many zombie satellites are in orbit, compare that list against what is operationally declared and publish it. Doing so could sway policymakers to act to quiet the noise.
The radio spectrum is a very valuable resource. Its already cluttered with lots of noise, overlapping signals, said Tilley. Its like living in a city when youve got street lights everywhere, porch lights on and you want to see the night sky.
McDowell, whose office is a stones throw away from Lincoln Lab in Lexington, Mass., supports satellite hunters like Tilley who expose zombie satellites. The need for transparency is critical, he says, since it establishes to what extent different countries respect treaties and regulations that govern the use of outer space.
To have objective, external, non-affiliated people be able to assess that, is actually very useful, McDowell told Coast Reporter.
Its especially important as regulating bodies are already bogged down. One treaty, for example, requires the countries to register their satellites with the United Nations. The United States has registered, said McDowell, but the UN hasnt posted that information on its website for the past three years because of a backlog.
This treaty that was meant to make things transparent is not doing its job, because its not very helpful to be transparent four or five years after the event, McDowell said.
When zombie satellites such as LES-5 and IMAGE are found and reported, they get picked up by academics and think tanks, said McDowell. That then actually has an influence on policy.
And so, the amateur radio operators of the world, including the one with homemade equipment on a roof in a clearing in Roberts Creek, do their part by listening.
Read the original:
Zombie satellite hunter finds 53-year-old signal in the noise - Coast Reporter
- 'Dawn of the Dead' at 45: A Zombie Love Affair That Never Died - The New York Times - April 12th, 2024
- Hyper-sexual 'zombie cicadas' infected with bizarre STD fungus will emerge in US - New York Post - April 12th, 2024
- Zombie malls and other retail centers getting extreme makeovers to keep up with the times - Chicago Tribune - April 12th, 2024
- 'Zombie' drug xylazine found in cannabis THC vapes in UK - BBC.com - April 12th, 2024
- Taxing health insurance: The Republican zombie that refuses to die - Roll Call - April 12th, 2024
- Fungus-infected Zombie Cicadas with hypersexuality to emerge in the US this year: Expert - Hindustan Times - April 12th, 2024
- Zombie Classic Dawn Of The Dead Coming Back to Theaters for 45th Anniversary - MetalSucks - April 12th, 2024
- E-News | 'Zombie cicadas' infected with sexually transmitted fungus expected to emerge this year in parts of US - WVU ENews - April 12th, 2024
- Deadly Zombie Sedative Penetrating The U.K.s Illicit Drugs Market - Forbes - April 12th, 2024
- Seattle Police warn that base ingredient in 'zombie drug' tranq is being sold as standalone pill - FOX 13 Seattle - April 12th, 2024
- Opinion | Today's Opinions: Haunted by zombie law and thrown into abortion time-travel - The Washington Post - The Washington Post - April 12th, 2024
- Rob Zombie Teases 'House of 1000 Corpses' Book With Rare Photos, Original Script and More! - Bloody Disgusting - April 12th, 2024
- Zombie malls getting extreme makeovers to keep up with the times - Detroit News - April 12th, 2024
- 2000s Horror Fantasy Is One Of The Most Unique Takes On The Zombie Genre - Giant Freakin Robot - April 12th, 2024
- Mysterious 'Zombie Neurons' Unlock Secrets of Learning in The Brain - ScienceAlert - April 12th, 2024
- Zombie SKUs: What They Are, How They Work & Results - JumpFly PPC Advertising News - April 12th, 2024
- Arizona Reviving Its Zombie Abortion Ban Is Trump's Doing - The Cut - April 12th, 2024
- Hyper-sexual "zombie cicadas" that are infected with sexually transmitted fungus expected to emerge this year - CBS News - April 12th, 2024
- Should we be concerned about zombie cicadas? - WGN Radio - Chicago - April 12th, 2024
- You need to play this underrated zombie shooter before it leaves Xbox Game Pass - Digital Trends - April 12th, 2024
- End the 'zombie' Comstock Act - Star Tribune - April 12th, 2024
- OPINION - Flesh-eating zombie narcotics are on our streets Britain is badly losing its war on drugs - Yahoo News UK - April 12th, 2024
- What Is Xylazine - The Flesh-Eating 'Zombie' Drug Linked To 11 Deaths in The UK? - Times Now - April 12th, 2024
- Zombie Cicadas To Emerge In Virginia: What To Know - Patch - April 12th, 2024
- What Is "Zombie Drug" Gripping The UK? - NDTV - April 12th, 2024
- OJ Simpson's Final Film Will Resurrect His Naked Gun Character - As A Zombie? - Looper - April 12th, 2024
- Flesh-eating 'zombie drug' sweeping US is linked to 11 UK deaths - The Telegraph - April 12th, 2024
- Flesh-rotting 'Zombie drug' tranq raises alarm in UK - The Times of India - April 12th, 2024
- Zombie Cicadas To Emerge In GA: What To Know - Patch - April 12th, 2024
- What was the first-ever zombie movie? - Far Out Magazine - April 12th, 2024
- Even Will Smith Couldnt Save Zombie Survival Game Undawn, Which Flopped Spectacularly - IGN - March 24th, 2024
- Rob Zombie Recommends This Surprisingly Wholesome Comedy - Dread Central - March 24th, 2024
- Army Writing and the Zombie (Noun) Apocalypse - Modern War Institute - United States Military Academy West Point - March 24th, 2024
- Fatal Fury's Mai Shiranui Is In This Zombie Survival Game For Some Reason - Time Extension - March 24th, 2024
- Should you be worried about 'zombie deer'? | College of Public Health - George Mason University - March 24th, 2024
- 'Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island' Scares Its Way to Blu-ray for the First Time This Spring - Collider - March 24th, 2024
- Rob Zombie hates my guts: GWAR's Dave 'Oderus Urungus' Brockie was a genius, and here's an interview that proves it - Louder - March 24th, 2024
- In the fight against gun violence, Rep. Frost Introduces the Destroy Zombie Guns Act - The Apopka Voice - March 24th, 2024
- Elfriede Jelinek's 'The Children of the Dead' is a historical zombie novel - The Washington Post - The Washington Post - March 24th, 2024
- Germany's Zombie Government Is Fueling the Far Right - The Atlantic - March 24th, 2024
- Zombie Survival Game Undawn Has Crashed And Burned According To A Reuters Report - MMOs.com - March 24th, 2024
- Will Smiths Zombie Game Has Been Hit Harder Than Chris Rock at the Oscars Its Astronomical Budget Was ... - imdb - March 24th, 2024
- Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island / Return to Zombie Island Blu-ray (Warner Archive Collection) - Blu-ray.com - March 24th, 2024
- Registration almost here for Dothans annual Zombie 5K Chase - WDHN - March 24th, 2024
- Zombie magic and gambling club Magic Island will come alive again this summer - Houston Chronicle - March 24th, 2024
- Undawn | The $140m zombie survival game starring Will Smith that bombed while nobody was looking - Filmstories - March 24th, 2024
- After 4 years, a cult classic zombie horror manga from Ga-Rei's creator is finally getting an official English release - Gamesradar - March 24th, 2024
- Will Smith's Zombie Game Has Been Hit Harder Than Chris Rock at the Oscars - Its Astronomical Budget Was ... - FandomWire - March 24th, 2024
- "The game literally no one knew existed": The Will Smith Zombie Survival Game is Reportedly a Big Flop and Fans Are ... - FandomWire - March 24th, 2024
- Zombie-palooza --- Get to the biggest undead music event in the latest Dead Island 2 expansion: SoLA - Gaming Trend - March 24th, 2024
- Bournemouth University medical students treat 'zombie attack' in mass training simulation - The Tab - March 24th, 2024
- Zombie car factories on the rise in China as buyers opt for EVs - Financial Times - March 16th, 2024
- Hey, Remember When Rob Zombie Was Going To Direct THE CROW 3? - FANGORIA - March 16th, 2024
- New Walking Dead Twist Shows How The Zombie Outbreak Will Finally End - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Candid conversations from death row with The Zombie Hunter - Arizona's Family - March 16th, 2024
- Zombie! The Musical - REVIEW - City Hub Sydney - March 16th, 2024
- A Gorgeous Harp and Guitar String Duet of 'Zombie' by The Cranberries in Honor of Alexei Navalny - Laughing Squid - March 16th, 2024
- Y2K Review: A 1999 Youth Nostalgia Comedy That Turns Into an Attack-of-the-Computers Zombie Movie. But Only the First One Is Fun - Variety - March 16th, 2024
- AMC Announces Every Zombie in The Walking Dead Getting Its Own Spin-Off - Hard Drive - March 16th, 2024
- The Growing Threat of Zombie Code - CXOToday.com - March 16th, 2024
- The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever Gets Theatrical Return For Anniversary - Giant Freakin Robot - March 16th, 2024
- You won't expect which fighting game character pops up in this random mobile zombie game trailer for a bizarre ... - EventHubs - March 16th, 2024
- Coby White, Butler and the 'Zombie Heat,' Fontecchio Are All Here to Stay - Canis Hoopus - March 16th, 2024
- 'Land of the Dead' 19 Years Later: Romero's Return Was Smarter Than the Average Zombie Movie - Bloody Disgusting - March 16th, 2024
- Z Nation Season 6: SYFY Tease Return of Zombie Series 6 Years After Its Death - ComingSoon.net - March 16th, 2024
- Zombie! The Musical (Hayes Theatre Co) - Limelight - March 16th, 2024
- Get This Definitive Edition Zombie Game For Free Right Now On Steam - Screen Rant - February 19th, 2024
- The Best Ghost and Zombie Movie Romances - Vulture - February 19th, 2024
- The couple trying to keep killer 'zombie viruses' at bay - and protect us from another pandemic - The Telegraph - February 19th, 2024
- Meet the Serbian Businessman/DJ Who Runs the Zombie AI Southwest Journal - Racket - February 19th, 2024
- Dead Island 2 Spreading Its Zombie Virus to Steam in April - GameSpace.com - February 19th, 2024
- Lincoln hosts Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie - Omaha - KETV Omaha - February 19th, 2024
- 'The Walking Dead - The Ones Who Live' Review AMC's Zombie Epic Shambles On - Collider - February 19th, 2024
- Legislative recap: zombie bills, teacher pay, lithium tax, pipelines and more - Black Hills Pioneer - February 19th, 2024
- Japan's stock markets are on a tear. Will 'zombie firms threaten the bull run? - CNBC - February 11th, 2024
- Thebe Phetogos haunted response to zombie figuration in art - The Washington Post - February 11th, 2024
- Cosmic dust from 'zombie' galaxies could form planets and life - The Telegraph - February 11th, 2024
- I walked with a zombie: 16 monster love interests that set hearts aflutter - The A.V. Club - February 11th, 2024
- Free Steam zombie shooter you've never heard of is getting rave reviews, somehow - GAMINGbible - February 11th, 2024
- South Korea's 'zombie football' finally leaves them in a hole too deep to climb out of - ESPN - February 11th, 2024
Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero