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The Boeing satellite was deemed a “total loss” due to a space “anomaly,” its operator Intelsat said in a statement on Monday.
The problem with the IS-33e, which was launched in August 2016 and entered service in January 2017, was first made public by Intelsat on Saturday. The McLean, Virginia-based company said at the time that the satellite outage affected some customers in Europe, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.
“On October 19, a satellite malfunction caused a loss of power and service to our customers,” the statement said. “We are working closely with satellite manufacturer Boeing to address this situation. Based on the information available, we believe it is unlikely that the satellite can be recovered.”
Two days after the “anomaly” was reported, Intelsat announced that it “resulted in the complete loss of the Intelsat 33e satellite.”
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In this photo illustration taken on April 4, 2022, a satellite model is placed over the Intelsat logo. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)
Intelsat reiterated that it is “coordinating” with Boeing and government agencies to determine what went wrong by analyzing data and observations.
Intelsat, which was founded 60 years ago, said in a statement that “a failure review committee was convened to complete a comprehensive analysis of the cause of the anomaly.” “Since the anomaly, Intelsat has been actively engaging with affected customers and partners. Migration and service restoration plans are well underway across Intelsat's fleet and third-party satellites.”
The satellite was last reported to be located “60 degrees east”.
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July 22, 2024 The logo is seen on the Boeing stand during the opening day of the Farnborough International Air Show 2024. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)
| ticker | safety | last | change | change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BA | boeing company | 159.89 | +0.05 |
+0.03% |
A previous statement from Intelsat said the IS-331 “carries the most advanced digital payload of any commercial spacecraft.”
“Many of our U.S. government customers are eager to begin using Intelsat 33e,” Scott Butler, president of Intelsat General Corporation, said in a 2017 statement. “The coverage offered by Intelsat 33e is ideal for supporting mobility applications for the U.S. Department of Defense and forces deployed in these regions, which Intelsat EpicNG already provides in the Americas and the North Atlantic. You'll benefit from the same innovative performance and efficiency that we do today.”
The Boeing logo is displayed on Boeing's headquarters building in Chicago on November 28, 2006. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)/Getty Images)
Back in April, satellite company SES agreed to buy Intelsat SA for $3.1 billion in a deal that would create a major European company, but the buyer's stock price has fallen to historic levels as investor concerns over debt grew. It was the lowest value.
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The transaction, which was unanimously approved by both companies' boards of directors, is expected to close in the second half of 2025 and will be funded by cash and new debt, including hybrid debt, the companies said.
Boeing did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment.
Reuters contributed to this report.
