And in the worst possible orbit for a catastrophic failure too. This was out at a geostationary orbit (GEO), the kind where the satellite circles Earth at the same rate that Earth rotates making it look like the satellite is at a fixed position in the sky. By space standards these orbits are prime real estate because the satellite dishes to receive the transmissions are cheap to make. There's no complicated motorized tracking system needed. Allocation for GEO slots is managed by the International Telecommunication Union.

The problem is that there's basically no atmosphere out at GEO to gradually slow derelict debris. In a low Earth orbit (LEO) there's actually still trace atmosphere that gradually slows anything in orbit. A satellite exploding in LEO is not ideal but it's not a long-term issue, it will not cause a Kessler syndrome. All that debris is coming down in a few years at the very most and probably less than a year on average. LEO orbits are self-cleaning. But out at GEO any debris is going to be around for thousands of years minimum, possibly millions of years.

And this is not the first time that a satellite based on this specific Boeing satellite bus failed recently for unknown reasons in the past few years. Intelsat 29e (also out at GEO) failed in 2019 and seems to be surrounded by a debris cloud.

A satellite bus is a kind of standardized spacecraft that has the non-specialized systems needed to operate already designed: power, propulsion, navigation, comms, etc. The standardized size also means the customer can have an easy time finding a rocket that it will fit inside. The customer just specifies the extras they want when the contract for construction is signed.

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sometimes satellites just do that

Someday we might get as good at space as the ussr was

It’s interesting how in any article talking about this, they don’t bring up the amount of money it costs. However if there’s a natural disaster we know exactly how much resources they’re going to deny.

death to america

Did it catch a stray trash?, is the October surprise the Kessler Effect?

But they'll talk all the shit in the world about Chinese tech being cheap and failure-prone

Meanwhile you got Amerikan-made satellites planes and jets straight falling the fuck apart in midair every couple weeks

I choose to believe based on no evidence but half remembered news pieces and vibes that Iran took it out with a super secret anti spy-sat weapon

Looks like the Americans are throwing satellites at their own people again. How often has this happened? It's almost as if they are made from burger crumbs. Welp, I guess that's just what happens in authoritarian regimes where the people don't even know they're oppressed. Maybe if they harder, they'll finally have access to quality engineering...

But seriously though, fuck Boeing. Everything they touch turns to crap.

Healthy, non failing empire

'But the Chinese are throwing their satellites on their own people! And they had that one accident 30 years ago! Whatabout China!?'