From Telstar, a new age of telecommunications (pictures)
The humble little satellite could handle just a single black-and-white TV channel, but it was the cutting-edge technology of its day. JFK gave it a spin 50 years ago today.
Telstar satellite
So it was with Telstar, which, after Sputnik, may be the second most famous satellite in history. On July 12, 1962, Telstar relayed the first transatlantic television signal, which traveled from the Andover Earth Station in northwestern Maine to the Pleumeur-Bodou Telecom Center in Brittany, France.
JFK on Telstar
Antenna dome in Maine
Parade of progress
About three feet in diameter and weighing 170 pounds, Telstar had two power sources for its electronics equipment. The primary source was a solar array with 3,600 solar cells, and backup power was available from a battery system. The satellite was spin-stabilized, according to NASA, to maintain its orientation.