Boeing in trouble again: Intelsat 33e satellite unexpectedly exploded in geostationary orbit

Boeing's Intelsat 33e satellite exploded in orbit, leaving behind about 20 pieces of debris.

Here's What We Know

The satellite was used to provide worldwide communications. Intelsat reported the satellite outage on 19 October and said it was working with Boeing to resolve the problem. However, on 21 October, it was reported that the satellite had experienced a "destruction event", the cause of which is still unclear.

Intelsat 33e was launched in August 2016 with an estimated lifespan of 15 years, but a year later it was found to be consuming more fuel than expected, reducing its lifespan to less than 10 years. The satellite has now collapsed in geostationary orbit.

The loss was another blow to Boeing, which has faced numerous problems in the aerospace industry in recent years, including malfunctions with aircraft and space capsules.

Source: Intelsat, Space News