DirecTV satellite in danger of exploding
Posted: Sat, Jan 25, 2020, 11:30 AM ET (1630 GMT)
DirecTV fears one of its satellites could explode because of a battery malfunction. The company informed the FCC its Spaceway-1 satellite suffered an unexplained anomaly in December that caused "significant and irreversible thermal damage" to its batteries. The company says the satellite is relying solely on power directly generated by its solar panels, but will start experiencing eclipses in its geostationary orbit in late February that will require it to use its batteries, risking a "catastrophic battery failure." The company says it's working to decommission the satellite by Feb. 25, when those eclipses will start, but will not be able to deplete all of the spacecraft's onboard fuel by then. Spaceway-1 is a Boeing 702 satellite launched in 2005 that was serving as a backup to DirecTV's other satellites.
DirecTV fears one of its satellites could explode because of a battery malfunction. The company informed the FCC its Spaceway-1 satellite suffered an unexplained anomaly in December that caused "significant and irreversible thermal damage" to its batteries. The company says the satellite is relying solely on power directly generated by its solar panels, but will start experiencing eclipses in its geostationary orbit in late February that will require it to use its batteries, risking a "catastrophic battery failure." The company says it's working to decommission the satellite by Feb. 25, when those eclipses will start, but will not be able to deplete all of the spacecraft's onboard fuel by then. Spaceway-1 is a Boeing 702 satellite launched in 2005 that was serving as a backup to DirecTV's other satellites.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Report outlines cost growth in canceled NASA exploration programs
Posted: Sat, Jun 27 11:14 AM ET (1514 GMT) Perseverance Mars rover finds more potential biosignatures
Posted: Sat, Jun 27 11:12 AM ET (1512 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, July 4
South Korea sets 2035 target for homegrown Starlink-style network
The Korea Economic Daily — 9:46 am ET (1346 GMT) IAFI to host 3rd India Space Policy Conference 2026 on Defining India’s place in the global space economy
Communications Today — 9:42 am ET (1342 GMT) Victoria-designed satellite heading to orbit aboard SpaceX rocket from California
CTV — 9:42 am ET (1342 GMT) First known congressional SpaceX stock buys surface after record IPO
CNBC — 9:41 am ET (1341 GMT) When Shubhanshu Shukla 'vanished' into spacesuit bag mid zero-gravity nap
The Federal (India) — 9:38 am ET (1338 GMT) |
