Why didn't the Prometheus pick up the signal from LV-426 that the Nostromo investigated?

Andrew1975 - Thank you for your informative comment. I had found the same info you provided, that's why I asked Ingeni about the WY Report. The problem is added by the fact that sometimes Scott mentioned 'planet ZetaIIReticuli'. Bummm!

Fact: There is no proof in the movies that LV-426 and LV-223 are in the same solar/planet system.

Off topic: 1975 is a special number for me, and my fav name is Andrew...

Ati, in regards to your question above about what the Weyland-Yutani report says, see below.

LV-223

I found on page 45 of the Weyland-Yutani Report:

"LV-223

Located in the Zeta II Reticuli system: 1,400 km diameter."

LV-426

I found on page 70 of the Weyland-Yutani Report:

"In 2122, twelve months after departing Thedus, the crew was awakened from hypersleep when Mother intercepted a transmission of unknown origin being broadcast from the planetoid LV-426 in the Zeta II Reticuli system."

Also, on page 84 of the report:

"Calpamos

The fourth planet orbiting Zeta II in the Reticuli system. Much like Saturn, Calpamos is a ringed gas giant, but with only three moons of significant size, the most notable of which is LV-426, commonly known as Acheron.

LV-426

1200 km diameter, .86 Earth's gravity."

@ Kethol

Thank you for the reference to Scott's and Lindelof's statements about Zeta Reticuli being the destination of the Prometheus mission. But I think that such vital information should be provided in the movie, not in some commentary or interview or elsewhere. If it isn't provided in the movie, it is difficult to accept it as canon.

Unlike you, it don't find it strange that at the time of the colonization of LV 426 in the 2150s the company is unaware of the derelict spacecraft. Decades have passed since the disappearance of the Nostromo. It is reasonable to assume that in 2122 only a few people knew that there was "something" on LV 426. After the Nostromo got lost, these people covered their tracks, destroyed any evidence that may have existed, and when they died they took their knowledge with them to the grave.

Speaking of LV 426: I always found it odd that in "Aliens" no explanation is given why such a barren, desolate and inhospitable moon like LV 426 was chosen for colonization. What makes LV 426 worth being colonized? Are there any mineral resources that can be extracted? The colony is a huge investment; what does Weyland-Yutani get in return? And why didn't the colonists discover the derelict spacecraft themselves? The moon must have been surveyed and mapped prior to or after colonization. Such a huge metallic object like the spacecraft shouldn't go undetected. That the colonists didn't discover it is all the more puzzling given the small size of LV 426. In the director's cut of "Alien" (but not in the theatrical version) the diameter of LV 426 is given as 1,200 kilometers. LV 426 is thus much smaller than our own moon. James Cameron was unaware of that particular fact when he conceived the story for "Aliens" and wrote the screenplay. But the spacecraft cannot be located very far from Hadley's Hope. Surely the Jorden family wouldn't travel several days across rocky terrain just to check the coordinates sent by Burke.

@ Ingeniero

Is the diameter of LV 223 really given as only 1,400 kilometers? I find that hard to believe given the huge mountains we see in "Prometheus". During the descent the Prometheus passes a mountain almost twice as high as Mount Everest (52,000 feet according to Ford). Judging by the views from space the diameter of LV 223 must be larger than a mere 1,400 kilometers.

Great points Andrew1975, thank you very much for the detail. Great point again on the hight of the mountain on LV-223...the planet much be shaped like a spike ball.

In the 2150's, I am not surprised either that there are private agendas (Mother, Special Order 937) and corporate secrets spread across an empire that reaches across to other planetary systems.

I checked LV-223 again on page 45, 1,400 km diameter.

I was a bit surprised at how small LV-223 was in the report. Also, the writers did make a mistake on when the scientists first met Peter Weyland in 2079. The Weyland-Yutani Report incorrectly reads 2089.

"Such a huge metallic object like the spacecraft shouldn't go undetected. That the colonists didn't discover it is all the more puzzling given the small size of LV 426."

The report does read that the derelict craft on LV-426 was thought to be part of Ilium Mountain range in surveys in 2157 after volcanic activity and 30 km away from Hadley's Hope.

I believe that the age assumption that the craft found on LV-426 was very old will be vital to the upcoming story line Kethol.

The Prometheus didn't pick up the signal from LV-426 in the 2090's but the Nostromo did in 2122 then the colonists didn't in 2150's.

@Andrew1975

"Unlike you, it don't find it strange that at the time of the colonization of LV 426 in the 2150s the company is unaware of the derelict spacecraft. "

I actually don't find that strange at all, and never had any issue with it. Others here have on numerous occasions.

As far as the Zeta Reticuli location of LV-223/426 not being canonical because it was never mentioned in the movies - I doubt we will ever have the exact star system mentioned in one of Ridley's prequels. It seems he leaves anything specific like that out on purpose.

As far as Fox, Ridley, and the script writers go though, LV-426 and LV-223 are both in Zeta 2 Reticuli. Until they change it.

@ Ingeniero and Kethol - Thank you for your comments.

I remember vaguely that some years ago I read somewhere that the script of "Alien" (or a draft of the script) contained the following scene: After entering the derelict spacecraft, Dallas, Kane and Lambert find the device emitting the signal. They examine it and then turn it off. It’s a pity that this scene was not included in the movie. It would explain why the signal was never again received by human spacecrafts or deep-space probes.

Ingeniero - Thank you for the info.

You are most welcome Ati.