In June 2024, a mysterious 30-nanosecond radio burst baffled scientists — until they traced it back to a surprising source: Relay 2, a NASA satellite offline since 1967. Researchers believe the signal could have been triggered either by a micrometeorite impact or an electrostatic discharge. The discovery, detailed in a new preprint study, highlights how defunct satellites may still interact with space conditions. Experts say the incident could offer a new method for detecting electrostatic discharges from aging satellites and space debris in crowded orbits.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has reached a major milestone by capturing its first direct image of TWA 7 b, a newly discovered Saturn-mass exoplanet orbiting the young star TWA 7. Using a coronagraph to block starlight, Webb identified the planet embedded in the star’s dusty ring system. TWA 7 b is the smallest exoplanet ever imaged directly. The discovery highlights Webb’s unprecedented precision and paves the way for imaging even smaller, potentially Earth-like planets with future observatories equipped with next-generation coronagraphs and infrared imaging instruments.