In a significant setback for Boeing, an Intelsat communication satellite built by the aerospace giant has exploded and broken apart in geostationary orbit, leading Intelsat to declare the satellite a “total loss.” This incident compounds Boeing’s ongoing challenges, which already include the Starliner crew test flight failures and persistent issues with its 737 Max and 777x aircraft.
The US Space Force has reported tracking around 20 pieces of debris from the explosion but noted no immediate threats to other satellites. Meanwhile, Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, is monitoring approximately 80 fragments from the same event. The explosion’s cause is currently unknown, and a Failure Review Board has been convened by Intelsat to investigate the matter.
Intelsat is working swiftly to minimize service disruptions by transferring affected customers to other satellites or third-party spacecraft. The financial implications are particularly severe as the satellite was uninsured.
The satellite in question, Intelsat 33e, is part of Boeing’s “EpicNG” series, which uses the company’s 720MP satellite platform and is powered by hydrazine engines from Aerojet Rocketdyne. These satellites provide crucial telephone, internet, and satellite TV services. However, Intelsat 33e had a troubled history, including delays in its initial deployment and propulsion issues that reduced its expected service life.
This incident is not the first for Boeing’s EpicNG series; in 2019, Intelsat 29e suffered a total loss after only three years in service. These growing technical issues are raising concerns about the reliability of Boeing’s satellite technology.
Industry experts and satellite tracking organizations, such as the UK-based Spaceflux, are closely monitoring the debris from the explosion for potential risks to other satellites in geostationary orbit. While the long-term impact remains uncertain, the explosion raises questions about the safety and sustainability of satellites in increasingly crowded orbital paths.
