Telstar

Advances in electronics and rocketry led to the 10 July 1962 launch of Telstar, a spherical, cast- aluminium satellite with 72 solar panels on its surface. Designed and built to relay television programmes between the United States and Europe, Telstar transmitted pictures for the first time from New York to Pleumeur-Bodou on 11 July. It orbited at a low altitude (5,636 km) and could only make short transmissions (around 45 minutes).