On October 19, 2024, the U.S. Space Force confirmed the collapse of Intelsat 33e, a Boeing-built communications satellite, in geostationary orbit at 60° East. Launched in August 2016 as part of Intelsat’s EpicNG series, Intelsat 33e experienced early issues, with a main engine failure delaying its deployment by three months and subsequent fuel anomalies reducing its projected 15-year lifespan by over three years.
After nearly eight years in orbit, Intelsat 33e disintegrated, creating at least 20 trackable debris fragments. Intelsat reported the satellite lost communication days prior and worked with Boeing to assess the failure, ultimately concluding that recovery was unlikely. Customers in Europe, Africa, and Asia-Pacific are being redirected to alternative satellites.
The incident follows a similar failure of Intelsat-29e in 2019, raising concerns over the durability of the EpicNG series. The precise cause of Intelsat 33e’s breakdown remains under investigation.
