Telstar - the birth of transatlantic satellite communications

July 1962 was arguably the most intense period of internationally co-operative experimentation known to mankind, with many world firsts attributable to Project TELSTAR and all the many people involved: the first live transatlantic television broadcast; the first trials of multi-channel voice services; the first photo-telegraphy (facsimile) via satellite the first ‘made for satellite’ intercontinental television programme and, before plans were even in place for national distribution, the first colour television transmissions via satellite. It was thus TELSTAR that laid the foundation for communication via satellite as we know it today i.e. unmanned and for the purposes of communication between all of mankind.