Satellites - National Air and Space Museum
Apr 12, 2022 · A satellite is an object that is in orbit around an object in space of a larger size. Things such as the Earth's Moon or Pluto's Charon are natural satellites. Humans have also created artificial …
Communications Satellites - National Air and Space Museum
Communications satellites are one such technology, and they play a major role in our daily lives. Prior to the 1960s, long-distance communication via radio, telephone, and television networks was a …
Venus - National Air and Space Museum
Earth's natural satellite is the Moon, but many objects in our Solar System have multiple natural satellites. Humans have also created artificial satellites—human-made machines and spacecraft in …
Applications Satellites - National Air and Space Museum
Today, hundreds of civilian and military applications satellites ring the Earth, often operating side-by-side in orbit. They provide similar services—communications, photography, remote sensing, weather …
Dove Satellite - National Air and Space Museum
The nanosatellite approach emphasizes simplicity in design, minimal cost, and in disposability and replacement, making possible the use of multi-satellite constellations for remote sensing and other …
Telstar - National Air and Space Museum
Telstar was one of the most significant communications satellites of the early space age. It raised an important policy question: Should communications satellites be operated and controlled by private …
Military Reconnaissance - National Air and Space Museum
Military reconnaissance is an operation to obtain information relating to the activities, resources, or military forces of a foreign nation or armed group. It uses balloons, aviation, and space technology …
Telstar and the World of 1962 - National Air and Space Museum
Jul 23, 2012 · Last week, the Museum recognized the 50th anniversary of Telstar, the first “active” satellite (one that can receive a radio signal from a ground station and then immediately re-transmit it …
Echo 1 Communications Satellite - National Air and Space Museum
Echo satellites, manufactured by the G.T. Schjeldahl Co., posed a unique technical challenge. They were sent into orbit folded flat and then inflated in space. Inflation had to proceed carefully to ensure …
The Space Race - National Air and Space Museum
Oct 26, 2023 · The Space Race grew out of a conflict known as the Cold War. While not a war in the traditional sense, the two countries were in a state of military and political tension that lasted nearly …