-----Original Message-----
> From: Dave Emery [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> On Wed, Mar 15, 2000 at 02:18:12PM -0500, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> > Subject: satellite snooping patent
> >
> > The spy who bugged me
> >
> > Why make it easy to eavesdrop on
> > satellite telephone calls?
[...]
> Unfortunately for its investors, IRIDIUM is bankrupt and the
> service is scheduled to be turned off on March 17th - two days from now
> - if no buyer for the system appears. Most probably IRIDIUM will
> become space junk as it has only been able to attract about 20,000
> subscribers (far fewer than the 500,000 or so needed to make the system
> profitable) and the satellites aren't readily adaptable to providing
> wideband data connections so redirecting them seems unlikely.
[...]
> Dave Emery N1PRE, [EMAIL PROTECTED] DIE Consulting, Weston, Mass.
It may be bankrupt as a commercial entity, but there are other well-heeled
groups who may take it over.
A few days ago, Bo Elkjaer posted that "RED CROSS SINGLED OUT AS TARGET FOR
ECHELON", with links to a (since blocked) powerpoint presentation at a
government site. It looked to me as if the 'Red Cross' reference was merely
a handy piece of clip-art to represent all NGOs. However, the penultimate
slide of the presentation made a reference to 'Securing Iridium'.
I suspect those satellites may well be active for a long time to come, even
if not available for the non-elite.
Peter
