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To: djane who wrote (5710)	7/14/1999 11:50:00 AM
From: djane	Respond to of 29987

2 posts from LOR thread on Kazakstan launch status Wednesday July 14, 5:24 am Eastern Time U.S. to increase satellites launched in Russia NEW YORK, July 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. is set to increase the number of commercial satellites launched on Russian rockets in Kazakstan to 20 from 16, and may again increase the number of satellite launches next year, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. U.S. companies, such as Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT - news), Loral Space & Communications Ltd (NYSE:LOR - news), and General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM - news) unit Hughes Electronics Corp (NYSE:GMH - news) will continue to need federal approval to launch satellites using Russian rockets. President Clinton agreed to increase the number of U.S. satellite launches on the Russian rockets to show satisfaction that Moscow is moving to halt transfers of nuclear and missile technology to Iran, the report said ________________________________________________ Ukraine Begs for Rocket Restart Reuters 12:00 p.m. 13.Jul.99.PDT Ukraine on Tuesday urged Kazakhstan to allow the launch of its research satellite, grounded by a ban on take-offs from the Kazakh space center imposed because of the crash of a Russian rocket. Kazakhstan has been embroiled in a dispute with Moscow since the Russian Proton-K rocket crashed soon after its launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome last week. Kazakh officials say it may have polluted soil and water sources with toxic fuel. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ See also: No Cash for Rocket Crash ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A Ukrainian-made Zenit rocket carrying an Okean-O Ukrainian-Russian research satellite has been sitting at the base since its launch was cancelled last Thursday. "Kazakhstan's position is unclear to us," a visibly frustrated Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma told reporters. "(The delay) means large economic losses." Ukraine, which wants to carve a niche in the lucrative commercial space market, badly needs a success for Zenit. One of its rockets crashed in September last year, destroying 12 satellites of the Globalstar Telecommunications consortium it was carrying. Globalstar has said it wants to see at least one successful Zenit launch before continuing the Ukraine deal. "Each launch of Zenit rockets is a big political issue for us," said Kuchma, who headed the plant producing the rocket before his presidency in 1994. "We need badly to rehabilitate our Zenit after its crash with communications satellites." Ukraine supplies rockets as part of consortium led by Boeing called Sea Launch. Kuchma said, however, he had spoken by telephone to Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who had promised to allow the launch. Olexander Nehoda, head of Ukraine's space agency said that Prime Minister Valery Pustovoitenko had asked Kazakh Prime Minister Nurlan Balgimbayev not to penalize Ukraine for the crash of the Russian rocket. "We are in constant contact with the Kazakh side and we hope we will get permission for the launch by the end of today. Then we could do the launch tomorrow or the day after," Nehoda said. Kuchma said the Zenit rocket did not use the highly toxic "giptil fuel used in last week's failed Russian rocket. Kazakhstan's action has also delayed the take-off of a resupply craft for Russia's aging Mir space station. Russian officials have said Mir could come crashing to earth unless the cargo craft takes off by Sunday.

To: djane who wrote (5710)	7/14/1999 12:11:00 PM
From: djane	Respond to of 29987

Iridium stock off after Motorola comments Wednesday July 14, 10:58 am Eastern Time CHICAGO, July 14 (Reuters) - Shares of global satellite phone company Iridium World Communications Ltd. fell 13 percent on Wednesday after its primary backer said the financially troubled company may face bankruptcy or liquidation. Motorola Inc. (NYSE:MOT - news), which owns about 18 percent of Iridium and has guaranteed a chunk of its debt, said Iridium had three options -- out-of-court restructuring, Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, or liquidation. ''It is Motorola's hope that this last scenario (liquidation) can be avoided,'' said Robert Growney, Motorola's president and chief operating officer, in a conference call. Shares of Iridium were off 1 at 7-3/16 in late morning trading. An Iridium spokeswoman could not immediately be reached for comment. ''Motorola said what was expected,'' said Timothy O'Neil, wireless telecommunications analyst with SoundView Technology Group. ''As far as Iridium is concerned, there's nothing new. This stock should not move on what Motorola says. This stock should move on whether it gets subscribers.'' That has been the key problem for Iridium, which has struggled to sign up customers for its pricey system. The Iridium network is the first of its kind to allow users to make calls from anywhere on the planet via a network of low-earth orbit satellites. Iridium's lenders have extended its credit facility three times, but analysts have said the company is likely to default. O'Neil said Iridium needed to show some progress in increasing its subscriber base to reassure investors that it is safe to throw more money into it. ''I believe they'll get over this current hurdle,'' he said. ''It's too early in the roll-out phase and too much has been invested. (The financial backers) will give it one more shot. Management understands that there is a problem, and they've addressed the problem internally. All that has to be followed up with some sort of attraction of customers.'' Copyright © 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.