<ul><li>The AMSAT-OSCAR 7 (AO-7) amateur radio satellite was launched in 1974 with an expected lifespan of five years.</li><li>In 1981, a battery failure caused AO-7 to be declared dead, but in 2002 it unexpectedly came back to life.</li><li>The revival was attributed to a possible short circuit in one of the cells of the satellite's NiCd battery pack.</li><li>Thanks to the smart use of the Earth's magnetic field and solar panels, AO-7 continues to operate and maintain its spin after 50 years.</li></ul>

AMSAT-OSCAR 7: the Ham Satellite That Refused to Die

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