Official announcements or actions taken by the space agencies

Boeing's Intelsat 33e Explodes in Orbit; U.S. Space Force Tracks Debris Threat

Oct 23, 2024, 08:30 PM

Intelsat's Boeing-built communications satellite, IS-33e (Intelsat 33e), has exploded in orbit after experiencing an anomaly over the weekend, resulting in a total loss. Launched in 2016 aboard an Ariane 5 rocket and expected to last 15 years, the satellite was providing broadband services, including internet and phone communications, to parts of Europe, Africa, and most of Asia. The U.S. Space Force is tracking debris from the disintegration, with reports indicating more than 80 fragments, which could pose a potential threat to other spacecraft in geostationary orbit. The Russian space agency Roscosmos has expressed concerns about the threat to Russian satellites. This incident marks the second failure in orbit for this series of satellites, representing a significant setback for both Boeing and Intelsat.