The first sattelite to make a map of the CMB was COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer) in the early 90's. The Axis of Evil was first observed there, but it was expected to be a measurement error / problem with the instrumentsation, and that it would go away with the next sattelite.
Then in the 2000's with WMAP sattelite, the Axis of Evil was still there. Scientists were very confused, but still they thought there must be something wrong with the measurement and / or the interpretation of the data. So still the hope was that this might finally disappear with the next sattelite, Planck, in the 2010's.
But the Planck observations still had the Axis of Evil in them. And since Planck there hasn't been any major sattelite that measures the CMB.
Then in the 2000's with WMAP sattelite, the Axis of Evil was still there. Scientists were very confused, but still they thought there must be something wrong with the measurement and / or the interpretation of the data. So still the hope was that this might finally disappear with the next sattelite, Planck, in the 2010's.
But the Planck observations still had the Axis of Evil in them. And since Planck there hasn't been any major sattelite that measures the CMB.
I'm really curious where this is gonna end up.