The launch of Sputnik I brought about a set of new technological and scientific developments never before seen in satellite communications history. October 4th 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I and satellite communications history was made. Sputnik I was approximately 183 pounds and the size of a basketball. The orbit for Sputnik I took approximately 98 minutes to orbit the Earth in an elliptical track and continued to orbit the Earth for three more months after launch.
Everything changed from that point on. The launch of Sputnik I brought about a
set of new technological and scientific developments never before seen in
satellite communications history. Regrettably with those developments a new set
of political and military problems came about as well. The U.S. public feared
with the launch of Sputnik, the Soviet's would have the capability of launching
attacks from space and more so from long range. Immediately after the launch of Sputnik I the United States Department of Defense approved funding for satellite projects to include Explorer I and the Explorer project. The Explorer project could be deemed the first real satellite
project in satellite communications history.
Within one month of launching Sputnik I, the Soviet Union continued to make satellite communications history by launching Sputnik II which contained a dog by the name of Laika. This canine also holds the honor of being the first known living organism in outerspace and is another piece to satellite communications history. The space race was on, and on January 31st of 1958, the United States launched Explorer 1. Although these satellites did not contain what we deem today as satellite communications payloads, they where the pre-cursor to what would follow.
Joseph Brochin writes about various communications technologies to include history of satellite communications
Source: www.ezinearticles.com
