A new piece of debris has joined the growing problem of space junk in Earth's orbit. A major communications satellite, impacting users in Europe, Central Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, mysteriously broke apart.
The Intelsat 33e satellite, which provided broadband internet services and was positioned in a geostationary orbit about 35,000 kilometers above the Indian Ocean, suddenly lost power on October 20, with the U.S. Space Force later confirming it had shattered into at least 20 pieces.
The cause of the Intelsat 33e's breakup remains unknown, though similar incidents have occurred in the past due to intentional satellite destruction, accidental collisions, or solar activity.
Launched in 2016 by Boeing, Intelsat 33e experienced a three-month delay in reaching its orbit and faced issues with its propulsion system, leading to its operational life ending 3.5 years early. The company filed an insurance claim for $78 million but reported the satellite was uninsured at the time of its destruction.
The breakup adds to the already significant problem of space debris. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), there are over 40,000 pieces of debris larger than 10 cm and more than 130 million smaller than 1 cm in Earth's orbit. The total mass of man-made objects in orbit is around 13,000 tons, with one-third, or 4,300 tons, consisting of space debris.
Most of the small debris resulting from the Intelsat 33e breakup is currently undetectable with existing technology, posing a serious threat to other satellites. Continuous monitoring of this complex orbital environment is essential.
The question of responsibility for space debris remains contentious. The 1972 "Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects" theoretically holds the launching country accountable, but tracking debris and enforcing responsibility is weak in practice.
As more satellites are sent into space, the orbit becomes increasingly crowded. To prevent similar incidents in the future, satellites must be decommissioned in a controlled manner to minimize debris production. For instance, ESA's Cluster 2 "Salsa" satellite was safely deorbited in September.
NASA predicts that the International Space Station, expected to reach the end of its mission in 2030, could create over 220 million pieces of debris if it were to break apart. Plans are already underway for its deorbiting.
