Intelsat 33e satellite lost after critical power failure

Intelsat has announced that its 33e satellite has experienced a catastrophic power failure while in geostationary orbit.

The incident – which occurred on 19 October – has left customers across Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia Pacific without service.

Intelsat is currently collaborating with Boeing, the satellite’s manufacturer, to investigate the anomaly. However, the outlook appears grim, with Intelsat stating they “believe it is unlikely that the satellite will be recoverable.”

Adding to the company’s woes, an Intelsat spokesperson confirmed that the satellite was not insured at the time of the incident—potentially leading to substantial financial implications for the firm.

In response to the crisis, Intelsat has initiated efforts to relocate affected customers to alternative satellites within its fleet or to spacecraft operated by third-party providers.

The ill-fated Intelsat 33e was launched in August 2016 and became operational in January 2017. The satellite has had a troubled history.

Intelsat 33e’s entry into service was delayed by approximately three months due to issues with its primary thruster. Subsequently, a second propulsion problem emerged during in-orbit tests that reduced the satellite’s expected lifespan from 15 years to just over 11. If the satellite is, as expected, irrecoverable, it failed around four years prior to even its lowered expected lifespan. 

As the second satellite in Intelsat’s EpicNG (next-generation) series of high-throughput satellites, the loss of Intelsat 33e is a considerable blow to the company’s infrastructure.

This latest incident follows the total loss of Intelsat-29e in 2019, merely three years into its operational life. That earlier failure was attributed to either a meteoroid impact or a wiring flaw leading to an electrostatic discharge during heightened solar weather activity.

These consecutive losses raise questions about the reliability of Intelsat’s satellite fleet and the potential impact on the company’s ability to provide consistent service to its global customer base.

Boeing, the satellite’s manufacturer, has also faced no shortage of issues in recent years with numerous aircraft crashing or being grounded. In space, issues with Boeing’s Starliner left two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station—leading NASA to decide for the astronauts to return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft in February instead.

Intelsat’s challenges highlight the complex and often unpredictable nature of satellite operations, underscoring the need for robust contingency plans.

Earlier this year, Luxembourg-based SES announced that it will acquire Intelsat in a $3.1 billion deal that will create a combined fleet of around 100 satellites in geostationary orbit. Hopefully, the merged companies will be able to get a handle on the issues that have plagued Intelsat.

Update: Intelsat’s 33e satellite has broken up into around 20 debris objects:

(Photo by Kelly Sikkema)

See also: Russian drone in Ukraine allegedly Starlink-equipped

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Tags: connectivity, epicng, intelsat, Networks, rural, satellites, space, telecoms