Boeing’s Intelsat-33e satellite exploded into over 80 fragments on October 19, sending debris across the geostationary orbit.
Launched in 2016 to provide communication services across Europe, Africa, and Asia, the satellite was supposed to last 15 years but instead fell apart after a mysterious “anomaly” shut it down.
Experts now warn of a potential “domino effect,” with debris posing a serious risk to other satellites in orbit—adding to Boeing’s ever-growing list of aerospace failures.
The satellite’s breakdown follows Boeing’s continuing struggles after the 737 Max disaster, with mounting concerns about the company’s capabilities.
Boeing’s Starliner programme has also faced significant issues since its first uncrewed test flight in December 2019, when software glitches prevented the spacecraft from reaching the International Space Station (ISS) and nearly caused a collision during separation. This Orbital Flight Test-1 (OFT-1) failure led to the need for a second uncrewed flight. The second test, OFT-2, scheduled for August 2021, was delayed due to stuck valves in the spacecraft’s propulsion system. These technical problems have caused repeated delays and setbacks for Boeing, impacting its reputation and delaying its crewed missions while competitor SpaceX advanced with its Crew Dragon program. The successful completion of OFT-2 in May 2022 marked a step forward, but the programme remains behind schedule.
Despite attempts to fix the issue, both Intelsat and Boeing were unable to repair the satellite, leaving behind a cloud of space junk.
Boeing failures gone galactic
The tribulations of the Boeing Starliner crew who have been stuck aboard the ISS for several weeks due to malfunctions of their spacecraft’s hardware underscore one simple fact: something is seriously rotten at the once famous aerospace industry… https://t.co/93SKsl70F9 pic.twitter.com/FThbTJXbz4
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) August 9, 2024
Image credit: Jigar Panchal
The beginning of “star wars”.