Telstar

Speaking of Apollo 11, I forgot that this month is the 47th anniversary of the launch of the communications satellite TELSTAR.

On July 10, 1962 NASA launched AT&T's Telstar 1 satellite. The satellite was designed to relay television and telephone signals between the United States and Europe. Shortly after orbit was achieved, a test signal was sent from the U.S. ground station in Andover, Maine of the American flag outside the station with the Star Spangled Banner music. The French ground station at Pleumeur-Bodou received and sent back the signal to prove the system worked. The second test involved a long distance telephone call between Vice-President Lyndon Johnson and AT&T chairman Fred Kappel.

Also, of course it inspired my super-slices of superslices, Joe Meek's incredible instrumental Telstar.



Meek also produced another Xmastime superslice, Have I The Right by the Honeycombs. Enjoy!