November 8 – November 16, 1984: Westar 6 and Palapa B2 became the first satellites to be retrieved from space and repaired by the Space Shuttle Discovery’s mission STS 51-A. After deploying Canadian communications satellite Telesat-H and a defense communications satellite SYNCOM IV-I (LEASAT-1), astronauts wearing jet-propelled manned maneuvering units, retrieved the two malfunctioning satellites. Both of these satellites had been deployed on Mission 41-B

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Visit the SSPI Satellite Industry Timeline to tour the decades of the Satellite Era

The SSPI Satellite Timeline is the first interactive site on the Web to chronicle the rich and diverse history of the commercial satellite industry. Launched in October 2007 – the 50th anniversary of Sputnik – the Timeline is a learning tool for satellite professionals, students, the news media and the innovative companies that make up the industry