Further in the future, studies are going on of a proposed Intermediate Altitude Communications Satellite for military use in the 6,000- to 10,000-mile-high range (beyond that of Telstar and Relay) and Advanced Syncom, a synchronous satellite of increased capacity. Work is also continuing to acquire new technical knowledge that will be needed in the future—such as various methods of keeping satellites stabilized in space and new ways of supplying power, including improved solar cells and the use of radioisotopes.
The ultimate goal, of course, is a working commercial communications satellite system. Exactly when this will be a reality—and what form it will take—are questions whose answers still lie ahead of us.
The orbits of four communications satellites vary in size and shape
| Echo I | 1000 miles | 1000 miles |
| Relay I | 4612 Miles | 820 miles |
| Telstar I | 3531 miles | 592 miles |
| Telstar II | 6697 miles | 604 miles |
Project Telstar
In this section we will go into some detail about Project Telstar. We do this because much of what we learned from this project applies to the general field of satellite communications. The problems that were faced and solved are typical of the challenges that working engineers and scientists must meet today. And there is, of course, another reason to put this much emphasis on Telstar: The six case histories in Part II of our book were written by men who were involved with that project. Before reading their accounts it will be helpful for you to have some background information about it.
What Project Telstar Was Designed To Do
Even its most enthusiastic planners at Bell Telephone Laboratories never expected the sensation that Telstar caused. Although it was a deadly serious venture—one of the steps along the way toward putting together a workable satellite communications system—its success made it the inspiration, among other things, of cartoons, jokes, and a couple of popular songs. “Telstar” soon became a name recognized around the entire globe. Stories about Project Telstar appeared in newspapers in almost every language, in children’s books, in women’s fashion magazines.
