Boeing-built Intelsat satellite lost after orbital explosion

US Space Force observes around 20 fragments after the satellite explosion in geostationary orbit.

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An Intelsat communication satellite manufactured by Boeing has exploded and broken up in geostationary orbit, with Intelsat declaring it a "total loss."

This incident marks another setback for Boeing, which is already dealing with various challenges, including the recent failures of the Starliner crew test flight and ongoing issues with its 737 Max and 777x aircraft.

The US Space Force is actively tracking approximately 20 pieces of debris from the explosion. However, they have reported no immediate threats to other satellites in the vicinity.

In contrast, the Russian space agency Roscosmos is monitoring around 80 fragments from the incident.

The cause of the explosion remains unknown, and a Failure Review Board has been convened by Intelsat to conduct a comprehensive analysis.

Intelsat is currently working to transition customers to its other satellites or to third-party spacecraft to mitigate service disruption. The spokesperson for the company revealed that the satellite was uninsured, adding to the financial ramifications of this incident.

The explosion’s debris could potentially pose a risk to other satellites. A representative from Spaceflux, a UK-based company that tracks objects in orbit, stated, "There is a lot of uncertainty regarding the orbits of these fragments at the moment. They can be potentially dangerous for other satellites, but we do not know that yet."

The satellite in question, Intelsat 33e, is one of six "EpicNG" satellites built by Boeing and operates using the company's 720MP satellite platform. It is equipped with 16 hydrazine-powered engines manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne and is widely used for telephone, internet, and satellite TV/radio broadcast services.

Notably, Intelsat 33e entered service three months late due to an issue with its primary thruster, and another propulsion issue reduced its service life by 3.5 years.

This is not the first time an EpicNG satellite has faced issues; the first of its kind, Intelsat 29e, was declared a total loss in 2019 after just three years of service, reportedly due to either a meteoroid impact or a wiring flaw.

The mounting issues surrounding the EpicNG satellites raise concerns regarding the reliability of Boeing's satellite technologies.

As the situation develops, industry experts are keeping a close eye on the potential impact of the explosion's debris on other operational satellites in geostationary orbit.