[Satellite TODAY 12-19-12] Satellite manufacturer Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) and Sea Launch have confirmed that the Independent Oversight Board (IOB) formed to investigate the solar array deployment anomaly following launch of Intelsat-19 (IS-19) in the spring of 2012 has successfully reached a unanimous conclusion.
   The IOB concluded that, “the anomaly occurred before the spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle during the ascent phase of the launch and originated in one of the satellite’s two solar array wings due to a rare combination of factors in the panel fabrication … After rigorous investigation, the launch vehicle was exonerated from causing or contributing to the anomaly and there were no unexpected interactions between the spacecraft and the launch vehicle.”
   Both SS/L and Sea Launch owner Energia Logistics concurred with the IOB findings. John Wormington, chairman of the IOB, said the board was comprised of three industry experts that worked with a team of engineers from both SSL and Sea Launch to conduct an investigation of data from the launch vehicle, the spacecraft, and interactions between the two.
   “SS/L and Sea Launch worked together to form the independent review board to ensure that the cause of the anomaly was identified without any bias, preconception or prejudice,” Wormington said in a statement. “Both companies were extremely cooperative in providing the data and analyses that we required, and worked well together in solving this very elusive problem. We have very high confidence in the conclusion."
   SS/L President John Celli said that it was imperative to both is company and Sea Launch that there was a full understanding of the cause of the anomaly. “We can now clearly say that interactions between the satellite and launch vehicle were not contributing factors. SS/L is already taking actions to assure mission success for all upcoming launches,” Celli said in a statement.
   While IS-19 is performing on orbit, the anomaly resulted in structural and electrical damage to one solar array wing, which reduced the amount of power available for payload operation.