Author: Staff Writer

February 19, 1976: COMSAT launched Marisat, the first Mobile Communications satellite. Marisat allowed constant ship-to-shore communications for the maritime industry. Prior to Marisat, companies would go as long as 48...

March 28, 2001: SES Global announced the acquisition of GE Americom from General Electric for US$5 billion in cash and stock, granting General Electric a 25% stake in SES Global...

July 7, 2007 – DIRECTV’s HD expansion took a giant leap forward with the successful launch of the DIRECTV 10 satellite. The Hughes-built satellite has spot beam capacity that will...

January 31, 1958: The US launched Explorer 1, designed by JPL and carrying instruments developed by Dr. James Van Allen, as part of the International Geophysical Year. A Geiger counter...

October 27-November 21, 1977: The World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC 77) finalized frequency allocations for Direct Broadcasting Satellites (DBS) Click here to view this event in the SSPI Satellite Industry...

July 18, 2001: Intelsat completed its privatization by establishing a holding company, Intelsat Ltd., based in Bermuda, and formally ending its 37-year history as an international treaty organization Click here...

September 2, 2007 – India celebrated a double success when its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV-F04, placed its INSAT-4CR satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit. The INSAT-4CR satellite carries 12 high-power...

August 12, 1960: NASA launched, Echo 1, developed by a Bell Labs team led by Dr. John Pierce. The satellite consisted of a large metallized balloon that passively reflected radio...

November 11, 1982: NASA’s Space Shuttle flew its first mission to deliver communications satellites into low Earth orbit. Mission STS-5 deployed two communications satellites, both Hughes-built HS-376 spacecraft: SBS-3 owned...

October, 2001: Hughes Electronics accepted a bid from Echostar CEO Charlie Ergen to acquire its DirecTV unit in a $25.8 billion deal that would create a single US DTH operator...