webdesign

June, 1994: Hughes Electronics and United States Satellite Broadcasting introduced DirecTV, the first US all-digital direct-to-home TV service. It was carried on the high-powered DBS-1 satellite, launched in 1993 with […]

The seminal event of the 1970’s was the””Open Skies”” ruling by the US Federal Communications Commission, which favored competition in satellite services and set a precedent that influenced government policy […]

February 23, 1999: The launch of the Stellenbosch University Satellite (SUNSAT) added South Africa to the list of satellite nations. This micro-satellite, designed and built by electrical engineering students at […]

August 19, 1997: The launch of Agila 2 added the Philippines to the list of satellite nations. Designed and built by Space Systems/Loral for the Mabuhay Philippines Satellite Corporation, Agila […]

[Satellite TODAY 10-11-10] Paradigm, a subsidiary of Astrium Services, signed a contract with the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD) to extend the Skynet 5 private finance initiative (PFI) program, including […]

August 3, 1995: With the successful launch of PAS 4 aboard an Ariane 4 launcher, PanAmSat became the first private satellite company to achieve global coverage. The Hughes-built HS-601 satellite […]

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 […]

August 20, 2004: An investment group including Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts, the Carlyle Group and Providence Equity Partners purchased PanAmSat from the News Corporation’s DirecTV Group for $2.6 billion in cash. […]

May 17, 2004: Boeing introduced Connexion by Boeing, providing in-flight connectivity for broadband Internet via satellite. Lufthansa was the first airline to contract for the service, for which Boeing installed […]

December 18, 2006: Loral Space and Communications announced an agreement with a Canadian partner, the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) to acquire 100% of Telesat Canada from Bell […]

March 11, 2007 – The Orbital Express mission of the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) completed history’s first satellite-to-satellite hardware transfer in orbit. The mission aimed to test […]

November 3, 1957: The Soviet Union startled the world by launching a second satellite less than one month after Sputnik 1. Sputnik 2 carried radio and TV transmitters, telemetry, scientific […]

October 4, 1957: The Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into low earth orbit, giving birth to the age of satellites and space applications Click here to […]

October 1945: former British Radar Establishment Officer and space guru Arthur C. Clarke published an article in Wireless World envisioning a global communications network provided by three manned space stations […]

April 1955: Dr. John R. Pierce’s article, “”Orbital Radio Relays”” in Jet Propulsion, discussed both active and passive satellite “”repeaters”” and outlined the concept behind what would become the Echo […]

December 20, 1961: The UN General Assembly adopts resolution 1721 calling for the application of international law to space exploration and applications, and the free exploration and use of space […]

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 […]

April 19, 1975: Launched by the Soviet Union from Kapustin Yar, Aryabhata was India’s first satellite, named after a ancient Indian mathematician (5th century AD). Aryabhata was built by the […]

April 13,1974: Western Union and NASA joined forces to launch Westar 1, the first commercially-launched American domestic communications satellite. Built by Hughes using the HS-333 spin-stabilized platform, Westar 1 was […]

June 7-July 17, 1971: The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) convened the World Administrative Radio Conference for Space Telecommunications (WARC-ST) and determined the frequency allocations for Broadcast Satellite Services (BSS) Click […]

August 21, 1971: The final treaty for the creation of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO) was signed by 11 national governments, creating the predecessor organization to today’s Intelsat Click […]

April 24, 1970: Dong Fang Hong 1, also known as China 1, was launched aboard China’s Long March 1 rocket as part of the PRC’s Dong Fang Hong (“”The East […]

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 […]

January 15, 2008 – The third Geo-mobile satellite for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company, based in the United Arab Emirates, was successfully launched. The Boeing-built Thuraya satellites enable mobile telephone services, […]

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 […]

April 7, 2008 – Hughes announced the activation of its first HughesNet consumer broadband Internet subscriber on its SPACEWAY 3 Ka-band satellite, launched in August 2007. SPACEWAY 3 employs high-performance, […]

October 29, 1999: In Penang, Malaysia, the INTELSAT Assembly of Parties, including representatives of all 143 member governments, voted unanimously to privatize the treaty organization that created the world’s first […]

[Satellite TODAY 03-11-03] Harmonic Inc. has expanded its sales and support presence by opening an office in Toronto, Harmonic announced march 9.    Harmonic’s customers in Canada include Bell Aliant, […]

August 19, 1964: A Hughes Aircraft team led by Dr. Harold Rosen launched Syncom 3, the first geostationary satellite. Prior to this success, Syncom 1 malfunctioned on the way to […]

July 10, 1962: The launch of Telstar 1, developed by a Bell Laboratories team led by Dr. John Pierce and funded by AT&T, marked the beginning of the commercial satellite […]