A Boeing-made satellite has fallen apart in space.
Intelsat, which operates the satellite, initially said that the equipment had suffered an “anomaly” and that it was no longer working. The satellite had lost power which led to communications problems for users across the world, it said.
Now it has confirmed however that the anomaly led to the “total loss” of the satellite.
The US Space Force also confirmed the “breakup” of the satellite over the weekend. It said that it had broken into 20 pieces but that its analysis was ongoing, and other companies suggested it had broken into more pieces.
The Space Force “has observed no immediate threats and is continuing to conduct routine conjunction assessments to support the safety and sustainability of the space domain”, it said. Previous satellite incidents have led to fears that they could disrupt or even destroy other equipment in space – with potentially catastrophic results as the problems snowball.
“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.
“Since the anomaly, Intelsat has been in active dialogue with affected customers and partners. Migration and service restoration plans are well underway across the Intelsat fleet and third-party satellites.”
The incident is the latest high profile problem for Boeing. It comes soon after the failure of its Starliner spacecraft – which carried astronauts to the International Space Station but was unable to bring them back home – and high-profile problems with its 737 Max planes.
The latest satellite was known as Intelsat 33e and was launched in 2016. It ran into problems soon after launch, and then was hit by more in 2017, though it was still expected to be in use for a few more years.
