Boeing’s Intelsat-33e communications satellite has been rendered inoperable following an “explosion” on October 19, leading Intelsat to declare it a “total loss” as investigations into the incident continue.
In the aftermath, the company has begun transitioning users to alternative platforms, while the U.S. Space Force has reported tracking around 20 debris fragments shortly after the explosion, as noted on X (formerly Twitter).
The specific number of customers impacted by the satellite’s failure has not been disclosed. However, experts warn that the debris poses a risk to other satellites in orbit.
A representative from Spaceflux emphasized the uncertainty surrounding the trajectories of these fragments, stating, “They can be potentially dangerous for other satellites, but we do not know that yet.”
Intelsat-33e was operational for just seven years, a relatively short lifespan compared to similar satellites, which typically function for 15 to 20 years. Launched on August 24, 2016, aboard an Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket, the satellite began operations in January 2017.
Prior to its loss, Intelsat-33e had experienced propulsion system issues that reduced its expected operational lifetime from 15 years to approximately 12.5 years.
This incident follows the failure of Intelsat-29e, which lasted only three years before its demise, potentially linked to wiring problems exacerbated by heightened solar activity or micrometeoroid impacts.
The failure of the Intelsat-33e comes amid broader concerns regarding Boeing’s reliability in space missions, particularly following the complications experienced by its Starliner spacecraft, which is now set to return in February 2025 after its eight-day mission with astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry E. Wilmore.
