Boeing built DirecTV satellite may Explode in Orbit after Suffering Unexpected Malfunction

I have been with Direct TV since 2008. Before that it was DISH. Yes we lose coverage alot down here when a monsoon storm rolls through South Carolina. Sometimes for several hours.

Man so talk about the rule of threes. 1st the 737 MAX jet fiasco, then they throw in the towel on a military contract for a Secret Space plane and now this. I wonder if the FBI will investigate as to whom some of the players were in these programs to see if there is any influence by Russia or China and Iran. Boeing isn't just another fly by night company. Although as this moment it appears to be. Then again it is the battery however I assume that Boeing has to perform life cycle and mean time to failure tests on all supplier components. Then again maybe not. I like Boeing. This is just bad stuff.

CNBC

A large broadcast satellite — owned by AT&T’s DirecTV, built by Boeing and operated by Intelsat — suffered major damage to its batteries in December and is now at risk of exploding. DirecTV disclosed the issue in a special request to the Federal Communications Commission this week, asking for permission to remove its Spaceway-1 satellite from orbit. “Spaceway-1 suffered a major anomaly that resulted in significant and irreversible thermal damage to its batteries,” DirecTV said in the filing. “There is a significant risk that these battery cells could burst.”

I hope I am looking up in the sky when it explodes, I wonder if it will make an impressive display of fireworks?

I am really worried, I am worried I will not see it happen.

a reply to: Waterglass

Well it does say it was launched in 2005 with an expected lifespan of 12 years.
I got rid of Direct TV years ago because of the outages during the slightest weather events, let alone a heavy rain or snow.

a reply to: Waterglass

“Spaceway-1 suffered a major anomaly that resulted in significant and irreversible thermal damage to its batteries,” DirecTV said

I just wonder if China or someone may have hit it with a "laser" Testing new weapons out.

Makes you wish the original owner of Boeing still exist don't ya. Too much design flaws on Boeing.

"Back to basics, start with the wooden plane, then maybe Boeing can stop rushing and jamming too many junk into one thing causing uncontrollable flight."

a reply to: Chance321

Yes it may be. Remember Korea's Kim Jong-un said he had a Christmas surprise for the USA? They did take out SONY pictures hack electronically in the USA some time ago.

Seems to me they have a flare for movies, entertainment and television?

Hmmm.

a reply to: rickymouse

I wonder if they have a live cam on board so they could film re entry and burn up. Knowing Direct TV and their billing habits they like a buck on everything so I can see a pay for view opportunity here.

a reply to: Waterglass

perhaps this is just a stock buying ploy. A little market manipulation never really hurt anyone. Buy some stock when it tanks, and enjoy the profits when the next project is announced.

"oh, everyone's using netflix now? We have an insurance policy on that satellite right?"

"yeah"

"Blow it up and blame it on malfunction"

a reply to: Waterglass

I'd imagine one of the risks would be a shrapnel chain reaction like in the movie "Gravity".

Boeing's really getting hammered lately , this popped up here on ATS the other day too -

Boeing's Starliner thrusters failed on Demo mission

a reply to: cooperton

Insured outside of it's operational lifespan? Sure isn't Allstate coverage.

originally posted by: Archivalist
a reply to: cooperton

Insured outside of it's operational lifespan? Sure isn't Allstate coverage.

Touche. Maybe more like - hey this is gonna be expensive to dispose of properly, let's just blow it up?

I dunno, given the ambiguity on these matters it's fun to speculate.

Thermal damage would suggest they're getting too warm which probably would mean the power filtering circuitry from the solar panels to the battery have gone and its overcharging all the time, could just be sods law and it fails now just as the crapola is being fanned around but since its impossible to repair unless you can get that unmanned shuttle to pick it up and return it but given its age it will have paid for itself and thus can go out in a blaze of glory.

originally posted by: Waterglass
a reply to: Chance321
Remember Korea's Kim Jong-un said he had a Christmas surprise for the USA?

I thought that was intel on the movements of Soleimani, providing the opportunity to take him out?

I read they are getting permission to bring it down in a controlled way before it does explode.

a reply to: Waterglass

Has a satellite ever exploded in orbit before?
Has anything ever exploded within the area that satellites orbit?
What kind of damage would 1000's of pieces of this satellite zipping around earth moving faster than a bullet do to other satellites?

It's no great loss to the nation. When the FCC did away with analogue signaling it limited or even removed rural citizens ability to view broadcast stations without having to pay an unreasonable monthly fee to view once freely available broadcast to the entire nation. Not only that but they fleece their subscribers when problems with their household hardware malfunctions.

I had equipment problems with my receiver a few months back where they sent me a replacement tuner in an attempt to repair my problem but failed so they scheduled a service technician to come out and fix the problem. In the meantime I was required to return the supposedly, but in actuality non defective module in a short time frame but they didn't send me a return box or even a well documented address or printed return label to their outside contractor repair facility. After much aggravation communicating with them, they finally sent me the return material where I and the UPS driver packaged it up together and he attached their pre-printed return label and sent it back the very day the return materials arrived. After several calls complaining of the unwarranted charges I was never given credit for the returned receiver after further communication complaining of the unwarranted charges. I don't care if every satellite they have falls from the sky.

In actuality, most of what they fill their digital systems capacity with is incessant junk we have to wade through to find what is pleasing or informative to watch while subjecting us to the costs we have to pay for their more worthless broadcasts and services.

So to be truthful here, I wouldn't care if every satellite they own falls from the heavens.

a reply to: mikell

There is this big empty ocean zone called, "Point Nemo" with nothing around in a something like 1,000 miles where they purposely crash end of life space stuff that is in orbit.

There is little animal life there either so the larger animals avoid it. No land. No people. Rather a safe place to de-orbit a vehicle. I think Sky Lab was crashed out there (iirc).

@Maxatoria, the satellites are not getting warmer, it is the earth! That is why it is "global" warming! (sputter, choke, giggle, LOL! )

It may have been struck by a micro-meteorite.

a reply to: Waterglass

Probably hit by an aging long frozen poop ejected from one of those earlier space mission, but whose poop and can the Russians be blamed for it?.

Also if it does go down it will probably happen just as you are getting into a good part of something you are watching.