Space News for July 13, 1999

Mobile Phones and Satellites Interfere with Radio Telescopes

An international conference in Vienna has highlighted a new fear among radio astronomers, that their sensitive equipment will be drowned out by Earth-based radio equipment, such as mobile phones and communications satellites.

BBC News

Teledisc Announces New Contracts

Recent fundraising efforts of $1.5 billion have allowed Teledisc to announce a new set of contracts with Motorola and International Launch Services to launch a constellation of new satellites.

SpaceViews

Launch Ban Continues to Jeopardize Mir

With the recent ban of all launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Mir is in jeopardy of coming back to Earth sooner than expected. A Progress supply shuttle, planned to launch on Wednesday, is carrying vital equipment to help mothball Mir, as well as resupply the crew. Without this resupply, Mir’s descent won’t be controlled, and it could crash almost anywhere.

BBC News