DirecTV races to de-orbit satellite it fears could explode

A DirecTV satellite is at risk of exploding and the company is racing to move it out of orbit, according to public filings.

In a filing submitted to U.S. regulators this week and originally reported by Space News, the broadcast satellite provider requested temporary authority to "de-orbit" its Spaceway-1 satellite.

The Boeing-built satellite suffered damage to its batteries during a "major anomaly" in December, the filing said, and DirecTV is hoping to avoid a scenario where the satellite bursts in orbit, which could damage other communications satellites nearby.

According to the filing, after the battery was damaged, Boeing concluded the batteries are at high risk of bursting if recharged.

Now DirecTV is operating the satellite using power generated directly from its solar panels but it would need to use the battery as it passes through the Earth's shadow in late February - which is why the company is looking to de-orbit and decommission the equipment before then.

It was not immediately clear what caused the battery damage or whether other Boeing-built satellites were at risk.

Boeing told CNN the issue stemmed from "a collection of events that have a very low likelihood of occurring on other satellites."

The company did not respond to further inquiries about whether other Boeing-built satellites were at risk.

Source: United Press International

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TV provider shifting satellite to high orbit over explosion fears
Washington (AFP) Jan 24, 2020
US authorities said Friday they had granted permission to a TV provider to urgently lift a four-ton (3,600-kilogram) satellite to a so-called "graveyard orbit" over fears a battery fault may soon cause it to explode. DirecTV had told the Federal Communications Commission its Boeing-built Spaceway-1 satellite had suffered a "major anomaly" in its batteries and did not have time to deplete its remaining fuel before disposing of it by placing it 300 kilometers (190 miles) above the "geostationary arc." ... read more