A Boeing-made communications satellite has exploded, with debris floating that could potentially be a threat to other satellites at some point.
Intelsat, the owner of the satellite, is reporting “the total loss” of the device in an update on its Website. The company is working with Boeing and government agencies to determine the cause of the mishap. The company initially reported the satellite service outage on Oct. 19, which impacted communications services for customers in Europe, Africa and parts of the Asia-Pacific region.
The U.S. Space Force says it is tracking 20 pieces of debris from the destroyed satellite and there was no immediate threat to other orbiting space equipment.
“Currently tracking around 20 associated pieces – analysis ongoing,” it said on space-track.org, the Department of Defense’s space tracking site. “S4S has observed no immediate threats and is continuing to conduct routine conjunction assessments to support the safety and sustainability of the space domain.”
Other observers, though, have seen higher amounts of debris. ExoAnalytic Solutions told SpaceNews it was tracking 57 pieces of debris and was warning operators of spacecraft that could be at risk of collision. And Russia’s space agency said it was tracking more than 80 fragments.
News of the satellite’s destruction comes on the heels of Boeing’s failed crew test of the Starliner spacecraft. The crew of that ship remains stranded at the International Space Station. They will have to be returned in a SpaceX rocket, currently scheduled for early next year. The company is also facing a challenging contract vote among workers and ongoing problems with its 737 and 737 Max line of planes.
This isn’t the first Boeing satellite that has been declared a total loss at Intelsat. In 2019, the company lost a unit after three years due to what was either a meteoroid or a wiring flaw.