Earlier indications that the Iridium system of 66 satellites will not be decommissioned through destructive re-entry are apparently true. A New York bankruptcy judge has approved the sale of the satellites to Iridium Satellite, LLC for $25 million. The original cost of the system was $5 billion, with Bill Gates as a major investor. The Iridium satellites are enjoyed by many astronomers as the design of the birds causes predictable and dramatic "flares" that are clearly visible with the naked eye

For more on the sale, click washtech.com. For information on Iridium flares, see satellite.eu.org.