An important communications satellite has broken in space. Nothing is known about the exact reasons. Instead, there are many open questions.
The sudden disappearance of an important satellite in space is not just a mystery to its operator, Intelsat. The main question is why the communications satellite that went into operation at the beginning of 2017 failed at an altitude of over 30,000 kilometers.
Intelsat said it had launched a “comprehensive analysis” to determine the cause. The company is working with satellite manufacturer Boeing and government agencies to examine data and observations.
“There are several reasons why a satellite can fail,” said Holger Krag, head of space safety at the European Space Agency (ESA). In this case, there are indications that the “Intelsat 33e” (IS-33e) satellite broke apart.
This could possibly have happened due to internal heating of fuel or the battery. An impact from microparticles, such as space debris, cannot be ruled out.
It is also possible that the satellite became charged due to increased solar radiation. But this is difficult to determine in retrospect, said Krag. The US Space Forces observation program – Space – confirmed on Platform X that the satellite had broken into around 20 pieces. Other sources spoke of at least 40 parts.
Intelsat reported the “total loss” of “IS-33e” on Monday. Shortly before, the Luxembourg-based company had spoken of an “anomaly” that had caused the satellite to lose power and service for customers in Europe, Africa and parts of the Asia-Pacific region.
According to Intelsat, “IS-33e” was developed and manufactured by Boeing. It was launched in August 2016 and became operational in January 2017. After launch, there had been problems with the propulsion system, which had led to a reduction in the satellite’s expected lifespan.
“IS-33e” is one of a new generation of extremely powerful satellites that are capable of covering both small areas of the earth and large parts of the globe simultaneously.
Geostationary satellites transmit voice, Internet and television to commercial customers, but also to governments and non-governmental organizations.