Boeing-made satellite explodes in space

[UltraBudgie]

So who did it, and why? And what will the reaction be?

The U.S. Space Force is tracking debris in space after a satellite manufactured by Boeing exploded earlier this week, the satellite's operator said.

The Intelsat 33e satellite, which was launched in 2016 and provides communications across Europe, Asia and Africa, experienced "an anomaly" on Saturday, Intelsat said in a news release. Attempts were made to work with Boeing and repair the satellite, but on Monday, the U.S. Space Force confirmed that the satellite had exploded.

The satellite's breakup left some customers without power or communications services. Intelsat said it is working with third-party providers to limit service interruptions, and is in communication with customers.

Since the breakup, the U.S. Space Force is now tracking "around 20 associated pieces" of the satellite in space. The agency said that there are "no immediate threats" and routine assessments to ensure safety are ongoing.

Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, said it had recorded "more than 80 fragments" of the destroyed satellite. Analysis of the pieces' trajectory determined that the destruction of the satellite was "instantaneous and high-energy," Roscosmos said.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/boeing-sate...e-anamoly/

Intelsat disclosure: https://www.intelsat.com/newsroom/intels...lite-loss/

[putnam6]

So who did it, and why? And what will the reaction be?


Intelsat disclosure: https://www.intelsat.com/newsroom/intels...lite-loss/

I'll just say this to my knowledge UNSCHEDULE rapid disassembly of a satellite that has been orbiting for 8 years has to rare AF

Broadband for Europe Africa and Asia top suspects Russia and China unless Musk has some sinister Dr Evil Starlink particle beam weapon

[guyfriday]

Smells of Chinese Operation. They love to knock satellites out in space, and if pressed they'll blame the US for damaging one of theirs.

[Zaphod58]

So who did it, and why? And what will the reaction be?


Intelsat disclosure: https://www.intelsat.com/newsroom/intels...lite-loss/

No one. There was a magnetic crochet that peaked right before they lost power to the satellite on the 19th. This particular satellite had issues from the time it went into orbit, and had its life reduced to about 10 years instead of the usual 15+ that is expected.

[UltraBudgie]

Smells of Chinese Operation. They love to knock satellites out in space, and if pressed they'll blame the US for damaging one of theirs.

Well, there was that "precision" payload module jettison by the X-37B two weeks ago that Space Force was all smug about: https://spacenews.com/u-s-military-space...maneuvers/

So you're thinking tit-for-tat?

Oh and Starlink definitely can double as a kinetic disruptor, right? Does anyone doubt that? But perhaps not as high-energy yield as this event...
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No one. There was a magnetic crochet that peaked right before they lost power to the satellite on the 19th. This particular satellite had issues from the time it went into orbit, and had its life reduced to about 10 years instead of the usual 15+ that is expected.

Thank you; I found this article useful:

The explosion of space weather research since the early 1990s has been partly fueled by the unprecedented, uniform, and extended observations of solar disturbances from space- and ground-based instruments. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from closed magnetic field regions and high-speed streams (HSS) from open-field regions on the Sun account for most of the disturbances relevant to space weather. The main consequences of CMEs and HSS are their ability to cause geomagnetic storms and accelerate particles. Particles accelerated by CME-driven shocks can pose danger to humans and their technological structures in space. Geomagnetic storms produced by CMEs and HSS-related stream interaction regions also result in particle energization inside the magnetosphere that can have severe impact on satellites operating in the magnetosphere. Solar flares are another aspect of solar magnetic energy release, mostly characterized by the sudden enhancement in electromagnetic emission at various wavelengths—from radio waves to gamma-rays. Flares are responsible for the sudden ionospheric disturbances and prompt perturbation of Earth’s magnetic field known as magnetic crochet. Nonthermal electrons accelerated during flares can emit intense microwave radiation that can drown spacecraft and radar signals. This review article summarizes major milestones in understanding the connection between solar variability and space weather.
https://scholar.google.com/scholar_looku...os13111781

https://www.mdpi.com/2674-0346/2/3/12#B8...y-02-00012

[Zaphod58]

Well, there was that "precision" payload module jettison by the X-37B two weeks ago that Space Force was all smug about: https://spacenews.com/u-s-military-space...maneuvers/

So you're thinking tit-for-tat?

Oh and Starlink definitely can double as a kinetic disruptor, right? Does anyone doubt that? But perhaps not as high-energy yield as this event...

Tit-for-tat for what? The service module burned up in the atmosphere. There was no evidence that it hit anything, or did anything to any Chinese satellite. And hitting a geosynchronous communications satellite instead of a military satellite wouldn't send much of a message.

[UltraBudgie]

Tit-for-tat for what? The service module burned up in the atmosphere. There was no evidence that it hit anything, or did anything to any Chinese satellite. And hitting a geosynchronous communications satellite instead of a military satellite wouldn't send much of a message.

True. As far as I know, Starlink is restricted to LEO.

[putnam6]

No one. There was a magnetic crochet that peaked right before they lost power to the satellite on the 19th. This particular satellite had issues from the time it went into orbit, and had its life reduced to about 10 years instead of the usual 15+ that is expected.

Fair enough not all of us have your expertise and sources, so this is a rare event that happened because a malfunctioning satellite got hit by the recent solar flare(s)

[pianopraze]

Boeing must have had info about someone from Arkansas.

[UltraBudgie]

Here is a video of the fragment tracking:
https://x.com/shell_jim/status/1849184334844133453

Boeing didn't have insurance on the satellite.