SCP-471

Description

SCP-471 is an artificial satellite currently in an elliptical orbit around Earth. SCP-471 appears identical to Satellite █████████-█, a weather satellite launched by [REDACTED] in 197█. Though SCP-471 superficially resembles Satellite █████████-█, additional equipment of unknown purpose can be seen on its backside. Photographs and manufacture reports have confirmed that this equipment was not present at the launch of Satellite █████████-█. It is unknown whether Satellite █████████-█ was altered after launch or replaced entirely sometime later. SCP-471 has continued transmitting the same weather information Satellite █████████-█ has been responsible for, which allowed SCP-471 to go undetected for decades.

SCP-471 was first discovered by the space shuttle Discovery during a routine maintenance mission to [REDACTED]. An anomalous signal was detected being transmitted away from Earth, which was traced back to SCP-471. Once Foundation agents within NASA had identified that the satellite was in fact an SCP Object, the Foundation took over the investigation and released a cover story, indicating that NASA had detected a top-secret military research project.

Since its discovery, SCP-471 has transmitted constantly, looping every ███ minutes. Only one interruption in the signal has been recorded (See Test Log 471-931). The signal is stronger than any the Foundation or any other Earth agency is capable of producing, and all attempts to block it have met with failure. As well, the signal is clearly directed; it is only detectable within a narrow cone (radius to height ratio = .0013) originating at SCP-471. The target of the signal appears to be fixed on Jupiter. See Addendum 471-01.

The contents of the transmission are heavily encrypted, and appear to be raw static when observed directly. Were it not for the strength of the signal, NASA would have assumed it was random static generated by the Earth's electromagnetic field. Over time, the signal has evolved, with sections of it changing since its initial discovery. A Foundation supercomputer, BOMB-2, was tasked with cracking the encryption and determining the contents of the signal. After running continuously for ███ days, BOMB-2 was able to decrypt a small portion of it, which appeared as a series of binary values. While most of the values' purposes remain unknown, several of them were identified to correspond precisely with discrete values relating to Earth, including:

• The current global population.
• Total number of births and deaths that occurred during one complete orbit of SCP-471 around Earth.
• The Fibonacci sequence up to 75025.
• Number of artificial satellites currently in orbit around Earth.
• Final scores of several American baseball games.
• Combined total of nuclear weapons and nuclear power plants on Earth and in satellites.
• Poll results for the 200█ Oklahoma senatorial election.

██ hours after successfully decrypting this portion of the code, BOMB-2 suffered an apparent electronics malfunction. Investigation revealed that BOMB-2 had suffered damage consistent with that of an EMP; however, no other electronics in the area had similar effects. The Foundation created a new computer, BOMB-3, to pick up where BOMB-2 left off. ██ hours after beginning its analysis, however, BOMB-3 suffered identical damage to BOMB-2, despite being hardened against an EMP. Whether this is a result of a direct attack or a consequence of the contents of the signal has not been determined.

The method by which SCP-471 gathers data is currently unknown, and is under investigation.

Currently three (3) probes have been launched towards SCP-471 in the hopes of examining it more closely. See Test Log 471-931 for details.

Addendum 471-01 While attempting to glean the purpose of the integer values identified by BOMB-2, the Foundation discovered a copy of the signal transmitted by SCP-471, much weaker and with an 88 minute delay, being transmitted back at Earth. Investigation revealed that SCP-471 was transmitting its signal in such a way that it was amplified by the magnetosphere of Jupiter and broadcast in all directions. The copied signal evaded detection because it blended in with the background static naturally produced by Jupiter. Further investigation into the possible interaction of this signal with SCP-2399 and other Jovian based anomalies is ongoing.