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Intelsat 33e breaks up in geostationary orbit

(spacenews.com)
157 points milgrim | 2 comments | 21 Oct 24 14:09 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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milgrim ◴[21 Oct 24 14:14 UTC] No.41904412[source]▶
For some context:

The same Boeing satellite bus already experienced a major issue some years ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19658800

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schiffern ◴[21 Oct 24 14:50 UTC] No.41904815[source]▶
I know the Boeing connection is the most "sexy" cause, so people are probably going to run with it anyway, but I also have to wonder about a space debris collision. GEO is already quite polluted, and the "graveyard orbits" commonly used have been shown to be inadequate.[1]

Can anyone tell whether (at 60 degrees East and at 4:30 UTC October 19) the satellite was passing through the intersection with the main plane of lunar perturbed debris? This would hint at a possible debris strike.

Sadly I can't seem to find a 3D satellite visualization that lets you go back in time. :-(

[1] https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2008/03/Spacecraft...

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1. milgrim ◴[21 Oct 24 15:12 UTC] No.41905064[source]▶
The more interesting part for me is that a satellite just exploded, that it's made by Boeing is just the cherry on top.
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2. dylan604 ◴[21 Oct 24 17:28 UTC] No.41906303[source]▶
Cherry on top that propulsion issues are now problematic for Boeing satellites AND capsules. I wonder if there's a crossover in personnel in either engineering or management.