DirecTV contacted the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding catastrophic damage that occurred last month to the batteries of its orbiting satellite Spaceway-1, a Boeing 702-model satellite.
DirecTV sought and received permission from the FCC to remove the now-dangerous satellite from geosynchronous orbit, 22,000 miles above Earth's surface, in order to have it decommissioned. The FCC has given DirecTV until February 25 due to risk factors.
"Spaceway-1 suffered a major anomaly that resulted in significant and irreversible thermal damage to its batteries," DirecTV said to the FCC. "There is a significant risk that these battery cells could burst."
The satellite Spaceway-1 was launched in 2005 on a Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rocket and was built with a life expectancy of 12 years. That was 15 years ago. Granted, now without battery power, Spaceway-1 can use solar power, though that won't be possible on February 25 when the satellite will pass into the planet's shadow.
There's a more immediate problem of timing than lost service, though, particularly since more recently the satellite has been used as a backup for satellite television customers in Alaska.
For one, during the upcoming eclipse, Spaceway-1 will no longer be able to use solar power, therefore switching over to battery power. However, because there was thermal damage to the batteries, therein lies the problem, because switching to battery power now would likely cause an explosion.
In addition to issues maintaining safe operation during the eclipse, the remaining fuel poses risk. DirecTV brought this to the attention of the FCC as well, stating that Spaceway-1 should discharge the remaining fuel "to reduce the risk of accidental explosion."
"The risk of a catastrophic battery failure makes it urgent that Spaceway-1 be fully de-orbited and decommissioned prior to the February 25 start of eclipse season," DirecTV said. Therefore, that's the timeline DirecTV has been given by the FCC: before February 25.
The safety plan is to have the satellite be de-fueled and moved into a so-called graveyard orbit, 186 miles above its current orbit.
At least the imminent possibility of explosion doesn't appear to pose a problem for other satellites in orbit, at least those built by Boeing, assuming the damaged satellite is fully decommissioned in time before the eclipse season.
"The battery malfunction occurred in the course of beyond-contract-life operation after a collection of events that have a very low likelihood of occurring on other satellites," said Boeing.
The Boeing Company
- https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2020/01/23/boeing-built-directv-satellite-may-explode-after-damage-to-batteries.html
- https://www.technologyreview.com/f/615097/boeing-and-directv-are-scrambling-to-move-a-satellite-before-it-explodes/
- https://spacenews.com/directv-fears-explosion-risk-from-satellite-with-damaged-battery/
- https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/24/tech/directv-boeing-satellite-geo/index.html
