The Intelsat 33e satellite has experienced a major setback as it broke apart in geostationary orbit, resulting in a complete loss of power and service interruption for customers in Europe, Africa, and parts of the Asia Pacific.
The incident occurred on October 19, 2024, and has raised concerns about the safety and sustainability of space operations. The U.S. Space Force has reported tracking approximately 20 pieces of debris associated with the satellite. Intelsat is collaborating with Boeing, the satellite's manufacturer, to investigate the anomaly, but doubts the satellite's recoverability.
The satellite has been declared a total loss, and a Failure Review Board has been established to investigate the causes of the incident. The satellite was uninsured at the time, which raises financial implications for Intelsat and its customers. The breakup of the satellite has also highlighted the risks of debris and collisions in geostationary orbit, which is becoming increasingly crowded with satellites.
Intelsat is working to transition affected customers to alternative satellites to maintain service continuity. The incident raises questions about the resilience and reliability of satellite technology in a congested orbital environment. It also has potential financial repercussions for Intelsat and the satellite communications sector as a whole.
The investigation into the incident will have implications for regulatory frameworks, insurance practices, and operational protocols in the industry.