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Skynet-1A: Why did the UK's first satellite end up thousands of miles from where it should have been?

BBC
Summary
Nutrition label

78% Informative

Skynet-1A was UK 's first satellite launched in 1969 to relay communications for UK forces.

It is now 22,369 miles ( 36,000km ) above the Americas and is in a 'gravity well' at 105 degrees West longitude.

Space junk expert Dr Stuart Eves says whoever moved the satellite did us few favours.

Skynet-1A was constantly monitored by the UK 's National Space Operations Centre .

The Ministry of Defence said it was constantly monitoring the old satellite.

The UK Space Agency is funding efforts to grab junk left in space at lower altitudes.

The U.S. and China have shown it's possible to snare ageing hardware even in high orbit.

VR Score

81

Informative language

78

Neutral language

56

Article tone

informal

Language

English

Language complexity

50

Offensive language

not offensive

Hate speech

not hateful

Attention-grabbing headline

not detected

Known propaganda techniques

not detected

Time-value

medium-lived

Source diversity

1

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