Does the Winterlance ever get discovered in its orbit? And are Ryba, Nylan and friends still known historical figures to where they would be connected with the ship?

The Winterlance does not get discovered because its orbit quickly degrades (since Ryba and Nylan didn’t have enough power to stabilize it) and what’s left of it becomes a fireball that plunges into the Southern Ocean. So all that’s ever attributed to Ryba, Nylan, and the others is that they’re “angels” or “dark angels.”