Space Force Tracks Debris From Satellite That Exploded in Orbit: Cause ‘Unknown’ Says Agency

A second generation TDRS satellite, delivered by Boeing, designed, built, and tested to provide service for 11 years in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO). NASA

The U.S. Space Force is continuing to track debris from a Boeing satellite that reportedly exploded last week, affecting communications services across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region.

After almost eight years in orbit, Boeing’s Intelsat 33E satellite broke up in orbit on Oct. 19, its operator and the U.S. Space Force have confirmed.

In an email to The Epoch Times on Thursday, a spokesperson for the U.S. Space Forces—Space (S4S) division said it was monitoring 55 pieces of the Intelsat 33E satellite.

“The cause of the breakup is unknown,” the S4S spokesperson said.

An ‘Anomaly’

Intelsat, the U.S.-based company that operated the satellite, first reported what it called an “anomaly” on Oct. 19.

“We are working closely with Boeing, the satellite manufacturer, to address the situation,” Intelsat said. “Based on the information available to us, we believe it is unlikely that the satellite will be recoverable.”

Later in the day, S4S said in an X post that it had “confirmed the breakup of Intelsat 33E (#41748, 2016-053B) ~0430 UTC” and was monitoring some 20 pieces of debris.

The Intelsat 33E satellite was manufactured by Boeing Space Systems. It launched in 2016 and went online in 2017.

Boeing did not respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment by publication.

Intelsat later provided an update on Oct. 21 in which it said “the anomaly previously disclosed” resulted in a “total loss.”

“We are coordinating with the satellite manufacturer, Boeing, and government agencies to analyze data and observations,” Intelsat said. “A Failure Review Board has been convened to complete a comprehensive analysis of the cause of the anomaly.”

Intelsat added that it had launched third-party satellite fleets to restore power to those affected.

In response to The Epoch Times’ request for comment, an Intelsat spokesperson said it’s “too early to draw any conclusions regarding the cause of the anomaly.”

Monitoring Space Debris

To monitor space debris such as that produced by the distintegrating satellite, the S4S relies on a network of sensors and analysis centers such as the Combined Space Operations Center and Space Delta 2’s combat units “to provide a comprehensive understanding of the space environment.”

“The awareness enables the detection, characterization, and tracking of potential threats, informing defensive measures and ensuring freedom of action in space,” S4S said.

Space Delta 2’s combat unit publishes tracking data on space debris and spaceflight safety on its Space-Track.org website, on which it states that as of Oct. 24, it continues to track the pieces and has identified “no immediate threats and is continuing to conduct routine conjunction assessments to support the safety and sustainability of the space domain.”

Space-Track.org says it publishes its data to promote the “peaceful use of space worldwide by sharing space situational awareness services and information” with international satellite operators, academia, and other organizations.

‘Instantaneous and High-Energy’

Russian space agency Roscosmos reported on Oct. 22 on Russian social media platform VK that there was a “potential threat” to other spacecraft after the destruction of the Boeing satellite.

Roscosmos said it was documenting over 80 fragments from the “destroyed Intelsat-33E satellite.”

“Analysis of the trajectories of the fragments shows that the satellite’s destruction was instantaneous and high-energy,” Roscosmos said. “Based on the obtained dynamics of the distribution of Intelsat-33E fragments, it can be concluded that there is a potential threat to all operating spacecraft, including the Roscosmos group in the geostationary region of outer space.”