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Earth Has Captured a Tiny Object – Likely a 1960s-Era Rocket Booster – SciTechDaily

In 1966, NASA launched Surveyor 2 to the Moon. Now its rocket booster has apparently returned to near-Earth space. Earth has captured a tiny object from its orbit…

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This animation shows the temporary orbit of 2020 SO around Earth from November to March 2021. The object is thought to be the Centaur upper-stage booster rocket from the Surveyor 2 mission that launched to the Moon in 1966. While the Surveyor 2 lander crashed into the lunar surface, the spent Centaur rocket drifted past the Moon and ended up in an unknown solar orbit. Over 50 years later, the Centaur rocket has apparently returned, entering Earth orbit on Nov.10 where it will remain until March…

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