Chronology
- 1869
- Hale's story The Brick Moon describes communication from a space station by
telescopic observation of people jumping in Morse code
- 1895
- Tsiolkovsky describes geosynchronous orbit (?)
- 1923
- Oberth suggests optical communication via satellite
- 1929
- Noordung describes radio communications with space station in geosynchronous orbit,
large antennas, solar power
- 1945
- Clarke shows how three stations in synchronous orbit provide global coverage in
article "Extra-Terrestrial Relays"
- 1946
- Rand study by Ridenour proposed synchronous communication relay system
- 1953
- Grosse emphasizes value of communications satellites as "messenger of the free world" in
classified report on satellite program
- 1954
- Naval Research Lab relays radio voice message using Moon
- 1955
- Pierce paper in Jet Propulsion "Orbital Radio Relays"
- Oct 1957
- Sputnik broadcasts beeps from space
- July 29, 1958
- National Aeronautics and Space Act signed creating NASA
- Oct 1958
- Synchronous communications satellite project proposed for DoD
- Nov 1958
- NASA and DoD split communications program, NASA gets passive systems
- Dec 18, 1958
- DoD Project Score launched, first broadcast from space of voice message, delayed and
real-time repeater
- 1959
- DoD Communication Moon Relay system operational between Washington DC
and Hawaii
- Jan 1960
- Hughes brochure "Commercial Communication Satellite" describes their proposal
- Aug 12, 1960
- Echo I launched
- Aug 1960
- NASA decides to pursue active satellite research, suggests working out
responsibilities with DoD
- Oct 4, 1960
- DoD Project Courier launched, delayed repeater
- Oct 1960
- AT&T requests license from FCC for experimental satellite
- Oct 1960
- NASA/DoD agreement: NASA will leave synchronous work to DoD
- Oct 20, 1960
- AT&T document "Proposed Bell System Experiment on Active Satellite
Communications" presented to NASA
- Nov 1960
- NASA lets contract to TRW/STL for Relay project requirements
- Dec 1960
- AT&T proposes joint effort to NASA
- Dec 30, 1960
- Eisenhower gives NASA lead role in communications
- Jan 4, 1961
- NASA requests proposals for experimental communications satellite
- Jan 19, 1961
- FCC grants AT&T temporary license
- Jan 20, 1961
- Kennedy takes office
- Feb 14, 1961
- James E. Webb becomes NASA Administrator replacing T. Keith Glennan
- March 1961
- NASA's communications budget increased $10 million
- May 1961
- RCA selected for Relay over AT&T, Hughes
- June 23, 1961
- DoD OK's NASA's Syncom project, use of Advent ground stations
- July 24, 1961
- Kennedy policy statement on space communications
- July 28, 1961
- NASA signs cooperative agreement with AT&T for Telstar
- Aug 11, 1961
- Hughes selected for Syncom
- July 10, 1962
- Telstar I launched
- Aug 31, 1962
- Communications Satellite Act
- Dec 13, 1962
- Relay I launched
- Feb 14, 1963
- Syncom I launched
- May 7, 1963
- Telstar II launched
- July 26, 1963
- Syncom II launched
- Jan 21, 1964
- Relay II launched
- Jan 25, 1964
- Echo II launched
- Aug 19, 1964
- Syncom III launched
- Apr 6, 1965
- Comsat's Early Bird launched
- Oct 26, 1966
- Intelsat IIA launched
- Dec 7, 1966
- ATS 1 launched
- Nov 8, 1967
- ATS 3 launched
- Aug 12, 1969
- ATS 5 launched
- Jan 1973
- NASA quits commercial communications satellite R&D
- May 30, 1974
- ATS 6 launched
- Jan 17, 1976
- Canadian spacecraft CTS launched with NASA Lewis components
- 1978
- NASA reenters commercial communications satellite R&D
- Sept 12, 1993
- ACTS launched
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