Fergie's Tech Blog

26 July 1963: World's First Geosynchronous Satellite, Syncom 2, is Launched

1st generation Syncom satellite.
Image source: Wikipedia

Syncom (for "synchronous communication satellite") started as a 1961 NASA program for active geosynchronous communication satellites, all of which were developed and manufactured by Hughes Space and Communications. Syncom-2 was the world's first geosynchronous communications satellite, in 1963.

In the 1980s, the series was continued as Syncom IV with some much larger satellites, also manufactured by Hughes. They were leased to the United States military under the LEASAT programme.

Syncom 2 was the first geosynchronous communication satellite. Its orbit was inclined rather than geostationary. The satellite was launched by NASA on July 26, 1963 with the Delta B #20 launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral. The satellite successfully kept station at the altitude calculated by Herman Potočnik Noordung in the 1920s.

posted by Fergie @ 7/26/2006 12:01:00 AM