Boeing-made satellite breaks up into pieces in space after ‘anomaly’

A satellite made by Boeing has broken up in orbit after experiencing an “anomaly” that resulted in its total loss, operators reported Monday.

The service provider, Intelsat, said the satellite disintegrated on Saturday and caused communication and power outages for customers in Europe, Africa and parts of the Asia-Pacific region.

In a press release, Intelsat said they are working with the embattled multinational corporation Boeing and various government agencies to analyze data and “complete a comprehensive analysis of the cause of the anomaly.”

The satellite, called the Intelsat 33e, was launched in 2016 and was intended to have a 15-year lifespan.

The U.S. Space Force issued an alert on its platform, SpaceTrack, confirming the breakup of Intelsat 33E and said agents are currently tracking “around 20 associated pieces” of debris from the satellite.

Intelsat 33e’s destruction is not an immediate threat, the agency claims.

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The loss of the Intelsat 33e satellite is only one of the most recent issues plaguing Boeing, which has been fighting off bad press all year.

Earlier in 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration discovered several potential faults on commercial Boeing planes and ordered more safety measures be put in place. The investigation came after Boeing made international headlines when a door plug blew off a 737 MAX 9 plane while it was inflight.

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Boeing was also the subject of numerous whistleblower complaints over its safety record and internal standards and has faced federal investigations.

The Boeing Starliner in June suffered thruster failures and helium leaks and subsequently left two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station, where they remain today. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are expected to return to Earth in February 2025, though their original mission was intended to last only eight days.

More than 30,000 workers in Boeing’s commercial plane sector are currently striking over a union disagreement with the company to do with the loss of employee bonuses and pensions, as well as pay increases.

Boeing said it would start laying off about 17,000 employees — about 10 per cent of its workforce — in the coming months.

Boeing has not commented publicly on the unexplained disintegration of the Intelsat 33e satellite.

Service restoration plans are underway, Intelsat said, adding that it is working with third-party providers to mitigate service disruptions for clients.

Officials do not believe the satellite will be recoverable.