The Telstar communications satellite experiment plan

The growing requirements for transoceanic communication indicate the need for a satellite communication system. This paper describes the Telstar experiment plan and objectives. The design of the communications system is described, showing the interrelation between satellite capabilities and ground station requirements. The factors determining the initial orbit and attitude; techniques for predicting satellite position, attitude, and eclipse times; and attitude measurement and control are discussed. Good correlation between predicted and measured satellite attitude is shown. The plan for acquisition and command tracking of the satellite, and a typical operations schedule of the Andover ground station are presented.