The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A satellite that crash landed in San Salvador on Sunday, puzzling and scaring residents, was brought down by its manufacturer as part of a coordinated event.

Delvin Major, Air Accident Investigation Authority chief investigator, confirmed the object was an internet and communication balloon satellite. “It had reached the end of its useful life and battery depletion and was brought down intentionally by the operator where it was picked up by a boat,” he said.

The descent was coordinated with air traffic control and a crew was hired to retrieve it. The company operating the satellite is called Loon, a Google affiliate which partners with mobile network operators to expand the reach of their LTE services.

According to the company’s website, Loon is a “network of balloons travelling on the edge of space, delivering connectivity to people, unserved and underserved communities around the world.”

The object, identified as HBAL074, initially launched in Puerto Rico on December 4, 2019.

“It has been authorised to be returned to the operator and taken back to Puerto Rico where it was launched from,” Mr Major said.

After the object landed, San Salvador police took custody of some of its parts, The Tribune understands, and the operator is attempting to retrieve them.

The AAIA does not plan to further investigate the matter, having been satisfied with the circumstances surrounding the landing.

Some residents witnessed the landing near the marina in Cockburn Town and recorded the aftermath. Their video showed the object flashing red under the night’s sky.

“We just see this thing come out the sky,” one man says in a video posted on social media, “it land out the air and land in the pond but how it is, it land like right in the water but the vibe ain’ gon out yet and we ain’ know what it is .”

Another man said: “See we want walk over there but we scared to walk over there.”