--- title: "Boeing Satellite Exploded Into at Least 500 Pieces of Debris" description: "Space-tracking company ExoAnalytic Solutions has identified a whopping 500 pieces of debris left over from an exploded Boeing satellite." date: "2024-10-29" modified: "2024-10-29" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/boeing-satellite-500-pieces-debris" categories: - "Boeing" - "Space" tags: - "boeing" - "satellites" - "space debris" - "space junk" - "the digest" --- # Boeing Satellite Exploded Into at Least 500 Pieces of Debris ![Space-tracking company ExoAnalytic Solutions has identified a whopping 500 pieces of debris left over from an exploded Boeing satellite.]() *\Image: Intelsat / Futurism\* ## Orbital Wreck Earlier this month, a massive satellite that belonged to multinational service provider Intelsat and was built by Boeing [mysteriously exploded into pieces](). Beyond an [official update]() detailing an "anomaly" that resulted in a "total loss" of the satellite dubbed IS-33e, officials have yet to determine the exact cause. And the extent of the resulting cloud of space junk is only starting to come to light. As [*SpaceNews* reports](), space-tracking company ExoAnalytic Solutions has identified a whopping 500 pieces of debris now littering the Earth's geostationary orbit some 22,000 miles above the surface — and that's only the big ones. "The size of the debris we are tracking ranges from small fragments roughly the size of a softball to larger pieces up to the size of a car door," ExoAnalytic CTO Bill Therien told *SpaceNews*. "The majority of the tracked objects are on the smaller end of that spectrum, which contributes to the difficulty of consistently observing all the debris pieces." ## World Pieces The satellite, which was providing broadband services including internet and phone communication services to parts of Europe, Africa, and most of Asia, suddenly disintegrated on October 19 — likely either due to being hit by something else at high speed or due to a localized blast. Space trackers are now trying to understand how the newly created pieces of space junk could affect the operations of other satellites in geostationary orbit. But as *SpaceNews* points out, it's still too early to tell if these pieces are running the risk of colliding with other assets. It's nonetheless a precarious situation, with the potential for space debris triggering a potentially catastrophic cascading series of events, a phenomenon known as [Kessler syndrome](). While we have yet to hear about the root cause of ISS-33e's demise, its predecessor Inteslat-29e was similarly [declared a "total loss" in 2019]() after just three years in orbit. An investigation later [concluded]() that it either was hit by a meteoroid or had a wiring flaw that led to an electrostatic discharge triggered by bad solar weather in orbit. Meanwhile, Intelsat is figuratively picking up the pieces, with a spokesperson telling *SpaceNews* that "migration and service restoration plans are well underway." **More on the satellite:** *[Large Boeing Satellite Suddenly Explodes Into Pieces]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()