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184:'s terrestrial microwave and coaxial networks to distribute and relay programming (although NBC used it on an experimental basis for this purpose in the late 1970s). The networks fed to both Satcom 1 and AT&T's network at the same time (for the benefit of those stations who hadn't yet been equipped with
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series, in 1964. The first Satcom satellite, Satcom 1, was launched on 13 December 1975. The last satellite, Satcom K2, was placed into orbit on 27 November 1985 and was de-orbited in
February 2002. Satcom was first superseded and then replaced by the GE series of satellites.
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in 1984, when the networks switched exclusively to satellite distribution on Satcom 1 (and later satellites), due to the much lower transmission costs, as well as due to AT&T's divestiture itself.
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using satellites, which allowed cable TV to enter into the suburban and metropolitan markets, thus allowing HBO to accumulate 1.6 million subscribers by the end of 1977.
34:
in 1986. The illuminated (right hand) side of the satellite is one set of solar panels which were extended when the satellite propelled itself to its geostationary orbit
165:
on 1 June 1980. CNN had been scheduled for a Satcom 3 transponder but that satellite failed to reach geosynchronous orbit upon its launch on 7 December 1979.
56:) that facilitated wide-area telecommunications by receiving radio signals from Earth, amplifying them, and relaying them back down to terrestrial receivers.
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146:. The satellite spurred the cable television industry to unprecedented heights with the assistance of HBO (who moved their programming from the competing
195:
The reason that Satcom 1 was so widely used by both cable and broadcast TV networks is that it had twice the communications capacity of the competing
150:, where they had been since their nationwide debut in 1975, to Satcom 1 in February 1976). Cable television networks relay signals to ground-based
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107:
Most early commercial communications satellites were built for and operated by telecommunications companies. RCA, with its own
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Shortly after its launch, Satcom 1 was the first satellite used by broadcast TV networks in the United States. The networks
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All the remaining Satcom satellites were retired in the early 2000s and replaced by the GE/AMC series, originally by
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199:(24 transponders as opposed to Westar 1's 12), which resulted in lower transponder usage costs in general.
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83:(GE Americom) and the satellite construction division became GE Astro Space. GE Astro Space was sold to
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distributed their programming content to some local affiliate stations, which had before relied on
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46:
21:
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750:"C-Band Channel Amplifier, Communications Satellite, Satcom 1 | National Air and Space Museum"
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satellite construction business, identified a role for itself as a satellite owner/operator.
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Satcom 1 was used as the launching ground for many cable TV services including
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suing RCA to get a Satcom 1 transponder in 1980 for the launch of
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Originally called Aurora 2, replaced Aurora 1 / Satcom 5
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equipment for reception of the satellite) up until the
724:"Space History Photo: Satcom, Communication Satellite"
433:Also called Aurora 1, still on 105.2'W (2006)
8:
91:) in 1993. In 2001, GE sold GE Americom to
25:Satcom K1 being placed into orbit by the
314:(currently in non-geosynchronous orbit)
217:
715:
788:Satellite Communications, 3rd Edition
7:
16:Family of communications satellites
14:
157:A notable legal battle involved
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89:Lockheed Martin Space Systems
79:in 1986. RCA Americom became
696:Sold during construction to
663:Sold during construction to
71:The Satcom system passed to
59:Satcom was one of the early
824:
81:GE American Communications
803:Communications satellites
152:cable television headends
50:communications satellites
47:artificial geo-stationary
61:geostationary satellites
43:satellite communications
615:RCA Astro Electronics
583:RCA Astro Electronics
417:RCA Astro Electronics
394:RCA Astro Electronics
370:RCA Astro Electronics
346:RCA Astro Electronics
322:RCA Astro Electronics
294:RCA Astro Electronics
271:RCA Astro Electronics
246:RCA Astro Electronics
35:
474:, purchased in orbit
109:RCA Astro Electronics
75:with its purchase of
63:; the first were the
24:
500:Replaced Satcom 1R
190:breakup of AT&T
144:The Weather Channel
41:, a portmanteau of
754:airandspace.si.edu
511:11 September 1992
386:Replaced Satcom 3
362:Replaced Satcom 2
338:Replaced Satcom 1
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707:
706:
618:27 November 1985
485:20 November 1990
373:20 November 1981
349:8 September 1983
249:12 December 1975
132:CBN cable network
45:, was a brand of
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420:28 October 1982
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124:Superstation TBS
73:General Electric
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678:GE Astro Space
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647:GE Astro Space
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559:GE Astro Space
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536:31 August 1992
533:GE Astro Space
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508:GE Astro Space
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482:GE Astro Space
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331:
310:Failure during
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230:Launch vehicle
211:, then sold to
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203:Satellite fleet
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85:Martin Marietta
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772:External links
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730:. 24 June 2013
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224:Manufacturer
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186:Earth station
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27:Space Shuttle
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757:. Retrieved
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744:
732:. Retrieved
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718:
653:Ariane 44LP
625:
593:
562:29 May 1991
470:Launched as
455:
227:Launch date
206:
194:
167:
156:
113:
106:
97:SES Americom
70:
58:
54:RCA Americom
38:
37:
29:
18:
778:Astronautix
759:21 November
734:21 November
515:Ariane 44LP
423:Delta 3000
400:Delta 3000
376:Delta 3000
352:Delta 3000
328:Delta 3000
300:Delta 3000
277:Delta 3000
209:GE Americom
128:Nickelodeon
95:, creating
808:RCA brands
797:Categories
783:Sky Rocket
710:References
702:Intelsat K
675:Satcom K4
644:Satcom K3
612:Satcom K2
580:Satcom K1
556:Satcom C5
530:Satcom C4
505:Satcom C3
489:Ariane 42P
479:Satcom C1
440:Satcom 4R
367:Satcom 3R
343:Satcom 2R
319:Satcom 1R
253:Delta 3000
159:Ted Turner
93:SES Global
728:Space.com
691:1992-032A
658:1991-015A
635:1985-109D
603:1986-003B
570:1991-037A
547:1992-057A
521:1992-060B
495:1990-100A
465:1984-113B
457:Discovery
428:1982-105A
414:Satcom 5
405:1982-004A
391:Satcom 4
381:1981-114A
357:1983-094A
333:1983-030A
305:1979-101A
291:Satcom 3
282:1976-029A
268:Satcom 2
259:1975-117A
243:Satcom 1
238:Comments
234:COSPAR ID
698:Intelsat
685:Atlas II
669:Astra 1B
627:Atlantis
622:STS-61-B
595:Columbia
590:STS-61-C
540:Delta II
452:STS-51-A
197:Westar 1
182:AT&T
148:Westar 1
136:Freeform
120:Showtime
31:Columbia
542:(7925)
472:Anik D2
103:History
444:Hughes
221:Model
176:, and
142:, and
130:, the
65:Syncom
39:Satcom
134:(now
87:(now
761:2023
736:2023
140:ESPN
665:SES
312:GTO
213:SES
178:CBS
174:NBC
170:ABC
163:CNN
138:),
116:HBO
77:RCA
799::
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630:)
598:)
460:)
215:.
172:,
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592:(
454:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
