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After a Boeing-made satellite exploded in space, the American giant faces yet another challenge in 2024. Amid controversies over the Starliner spacecraft and strikes, Boeing is trying to understand the incident and restore services to Intelsat customers. The crisis has exposed serious problems and raised doubts about the company's leadership in the aerospace sector.
A new setback puts Boeing at the center of yet another crisis in 2024. This time, the explosion of one of the company's satellites last Saturday (19) increases pressure on the American aerospace giant, which had already been facing a year of instability.
While Boeing's commercial aviation division tries to overcome strikes and recurring technical problems, incidents are also piling up in the company's space sector, which has already been embroiled in controversy since the failures of the Starliner spacecraft.
The explosion comes amid concerns over safety and reliability, reigniting debate over the impact of its failures on customers and global markets.
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Satellite explosion and impact in space
According to official information, an “anomaly” caused the explosion in geostationary orbit of the satellite IS-33e, manufactured by Boeing and owned by Intelsat, a provider of satellite communications services.
The US Space Force, which is responsible for monitoring space objects, said it was tracking at least 20 fragments of the satellite, which are now drifting through space after the incident.
According to a statement from Intelsat, released last Monday (21), the “total loss” of the satellite due to the anomaly is already being compensated by an emergency plan for migration and restoration of services for affected consumers.
The company said the plan involves not only its own fleet of satellites, but also those of third-party companies, seeking to minimize the impact on customers in Europe, Africa and Asia, the main areas of operation of the IS-33e.
The IS-33e satellite: mission and previous failures
According to the portal UOL, manufactured and launched by Boeing in 2016, the IS-33e is part of the EpicNG platform, considered by Boeing to be a “new generation” of high-capacity satellites for large-scale communications. Weighing more than 6,3 tons, the satellite was intended to offer advanced broadband internet and mobile communication services to users and businesses in various regions of the globe.
However, the history of the IS-33e already recorded failures: in 2017, Intelsat reported problems that required more fuel than initially planned to maintain the equipment's orbit.
The need for extra fuel was an indication of a structural failure that raised concerns at the time about the satellite's durability.
This failure, combined with the new incident, calls into question the reliability of Boeing's EpicNG satellites, especially with regard to their operational efficiency and safety for customers.
Possible causes and analysis of the incident
The exact cause of the IS-33e explosion has not yet been confirmed, but experts point to two main hypotheses: manufacturing flaws or the possibility of a collision with space debris or micrometeoroids.
However, Intelsat did not detail the specific cause, stating only that it will conduct a full analysis to understand what triggered the incident.
“This type of in-orbit failure is a risk that companies face, especially in the case of long-duration satellites,” said a specialist source.
In addition to collaborating with Intelsat, Boeing is also working with government agencies to compile data and observations that shed light on the circumstances of the explosion.
Boeing's challenging year in 2024
The year 2024 has not been easy for Boeing, which, in addition to its operations in the aerospace sector, faces significant challenges in commercial aviation.
The Starliner spacecraft, which was also developed by Boeing and was supposed to meet NASA's commercial demands for transporting astronauts, continues to face problems with its propulsion system.
These failures delay the delivery of a high-priority project for the Artemis missions, a space exploration program led by NASA.
The situation is worsened by the strikes that impact the company's commercial aviation division. Boeing, highlighting a broader crisis that affects several areas of the company's operations.
On the ground, incidents continue to test consumer and regulatory confidence, such as the recent case of the plane that lost a door in mid-flight in January 2024.
These episodes add pressure to Boeing's image and credibility, as it deals with the repercussions of its technical and operational errors.
The impact on the telecommunications sector
The loss of a satellite like the IS-33e not only affects Boeing and Intelsat, but also raises a critical issue for the telecommunications industry.
Communications infrastructure increasingly relies on modern satellites to enable high-speed data transmission and ensure stable internet services.
In light of this new incident, the market is keeping an eye on Boeing's response and Intelsat's actions to replace or compensate for the IS-33e failure.
As reported, Intelsat is already working on alternatives to restore the interrupted services, counting on third-party support to maintain the integrity of services for users, while it continues to analyze the problem.
The communications industry is hoping for a speedy resolution, but the prospect of more failures puts additional pressure on companies and raises concerns about the quality and reliability of high-tech equipment.
Uncertain scenario and Boeing's future
The explosion of the IS-33e represents yet another warning about the consequences of errors and lack of quality in the products of companies in the aerospace industry.
For Boeing, a company once synonymous with innovation and safety, each new failure weakens its market position and raises questions about its future, especially in the space sector.
With the Starliner woes and quality issues in its rocket production for NASA, Boeing has a long road ahead to regain the trust of its customers and regulators.
What impact will so many accumulated problems have on Boeing's ability to lead the global aerospace industry?
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