A Boeing-built communications satellite, Intelsat 33e, has broken apart while in orbit, according to reports from Intelsat and the US Space Force. The satellite, launched in 2016 to provide communications services across Europe, Asia, and Africa, suffered an unspecified "anomaly" on Saturday, leading to its failure and subsequent breakup. Intelsat confirmed the satellite's "total loss" on Monday.

Intelsat is now working with Boeing, the satellite's manufacturer, and government agencies to determine the cause of the malfunction. The company has formed a board to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident. "We are coordinating with the satellite manufacturer, Boeing, and government agencies to analyze data and observations," Intelsat said in a statement.

The US Space Force has confirmed it is tracking around 20 pieces of debris from the satellite, which is currently in geostationary orbit. "S4S has observed no immediate threats and is continuing to conduct routine conjunction assessments to support the safety and sustainability of the space domain," the US Space Force said. However, satellite-tracking company ExoAnalytic Solutions reported monitoring as many as 57 fragments, suggesting the debris field may be larger than initially reported.

Intelsat 33e's breakup comes at a challenging time for Boeing, following other recent setbacks, including delays in its Starliner space mission and legal issues stemming from the 737 Max plane crashes. This is also not the first time a Boeing-made satellite has failed; in 2019, Intelsat 29e was declared a "total loss" after only three years in space.

The Intelsat 33e satellite had faced issues since its launch, including a propulsion problem that delayed its arrival in orbit and further propulsion issues in 2017 that shortened its operational lifespan by 3.5 years.