In a significant setback for global communications, the Intelsat 33e satellite, built by Boeing, has disintegrated while in orbit. Intelsat, the satellite's operator, reported that the anomaly occurred on Saturday, leading to a total loss of power and services for customers across Europe, Africa, and parts of the Asia-Pacific region.
Following the unexpected outage, Intelsat confirmed on Monday that the anomaly resulted in the complete loss of the satellite. \"We are coordinating with the satellite manufacturer, Boeing, and government agencies to analyze data and observations,\" the company stated.
A Failure Review Board has been established to conduct a thorough analysis of the incident, aiming to determine the root cause of the anomaly. Meanwhile, Intelsat has assured its clients that migration and service restoration plans are actively underway, utilizing both the existing Intelsat fleet and third-party satellites to minimize disruption.
The U.S. Space Force (USSF) has verified the breakup of Intelsat 33e in geostationary orbit, confirming that approximately 20 pieces of debris are currently being tracked. The USSF emphasized that no immediate threats have been identified and that routine conjunction assessments are ongoing to ensure the safety and sustainability of space operations.
Intelsat 33e, which was launched in August 2016 and began service in January 2017, was a key asset in providing reliable communications services to a broad range of regions. The loss of this satellite underscores the challenges and risks associated with maintaining and operating complex space infrastructure.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
