MN.18.02.1999. Solar & Satellites

This was a consumer oriented edition. We did a lot about high solar activity and the effect it can have on satellites, especially as there were several satellite failures and the topic came into mainstream news coverage. It started with the temporary loss of the SOHO spacecraft studying the sun. Joe Allen has discovered more than 10,000 examples of satellite failures. So there is no terrestrial back-up for most satellites. We also talked about new recycling projects which were just starting in 1999. Bob Tomalski has story of a digital dogs dinner. Pay-TV set-op boxes have been plagued with teething troubles.