Debris from an exploded telecommunications satellite is spreading across geosynchronous orbit, threatening other spacecraft in this precious region of space, an animation by a leading space situational awareness firm suggests.
The animation by Pennsylvania-based COMSPOC is a “notional” representation of the aftermath of the breakup of Intelsat 33e, which took place on Oct. 19.
COMSPOC chief scientist Dan Oltrogge told Space.com that the so-far-unexplained incident likely spawned more than 500 fragments, which are already threatening other satellites across a vast swath of the geostationary ring. The geostationary ring is a precious orbital region at an altitude of about 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometers) where satellites appear suspended above a fixed spot on Earth’s equator. Hundreds of satellites owned by commercial operators and governments occupy this unique orbit, as the stable vantage point it provides is perfect for broadcasting, weather monitoring and internet services.
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