Satellite: Timeline

1945   Arthur C. Clarke puts forward the idea of a communications satellite in a ''Wireless World'' magazine article.

1957   Sputnik program Sputnik program

The Sputnik program was a series of unmanned space mission [i]s launched by the Soviet Union [i] in the ... 

: The Soviet Union Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 launches Sputnik I, the first artificial satellite to orbit the earth.

1957   First U.S. United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 attempt to launch a satellite fails, the rocket Rocket

The traditional definition of a rocket is a vehicle [i], missile [i] or aircraft [i] which obtains thrust [i] ... 

 blowing up on the launch pad.

1958   The first successful American satellite, Explorer I Explorer I

Explorer-I, officially Satellite 1958 Alpha , was the first Earth satellite [i] of the United States [i] ... 

, is launched into orbit.

1958   The United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 launches the Vanguard 1 satellite

1963   Syncom, the world's first geostationary (synchronous) satellite, is orbited by NASA NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an agency of the United States Government [i], res ... 

.

1964   The Soviet Union Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 launches two scientific satellites, Elektron I and II, from a single rocket.

1965   At the Hammaguira launch facility in the Sahara Desert, France France

France, officially the French Republic, is a country [i] whose metropolitan territory [i] ... 

 launches a Diamant-A rocket with its first satellite, ''Asterix-1'' on board, becoming the third country to enter space Outer space

Outer space, also simply called space, refers to the relatively empty regions of the universe [i] ou ... 

.

1970   NASA's NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an agency of the United States Government [i], res ... 

 Explorer I Explorer I

Explorer-I, officially Satellite 1958 Alpha , was the first Earth satellite [i] of the United States [i] ... 

, the first American artificial satellite Satellite

A satellite is any object that orbit [i]s another object . ... 

 and the first of the Explorer program Explorer program

The Explorer program was the United States [i]'s first successful attempt to launch an artificial satellite [i] ... 

 spacecrafts, reenters Earth's atmosphere after 12 years in orbit.

1972   The United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 launches Landsat 1, the first Earth-resources satellite.

1989   The first of 24 satellites of the Global Positioning System is placed into orbit.