Eutelsat abandons lost satellite after propellant leak

Deciding the W3B communications satellite leaked too much propellant to drive itself back into Earth's atmosphere, Eutelsat has abandoned the crippled spacecraft in the same transfer orbit it was left in by an Ariane 5 rocket. The Paris-based satellite operator safed the spacecraft last week, draining its electrical batteries and expelling helium pressurant to reduce the risk of a debris-scattering explosion in the future. More

(Source: Space Flight Now - Nov 10)