Impact of Technology

A major benefit from the space program that I am benefitting from are the programs me and my family watch every day on our large screen high definition television set at home on our home entertainment system. This has been made possible by two things that the space program helped develop- satellites and electronics. Satellites are a major component of the space program. So, the space program funded research that led to major advances in the satellite technology. In addition, to allow increased capabilities over small space and to reduce launch cost, the space program was pushed to develop integrated electronic circuits. This has led to the miniaturization of electronic components. These developments have led to the launching of numerous satellites that are currently orbiting the earth. The launch of Sputnik by the Russians in 1957 launched the space race. At the urging of US Congress both NASA and the Dept of Defense spearheaded the advances in both launch technology and satellite capabilities. During the 1950s the focus was primarily in developing satellites for defense purposes targeting monitoring and communication capabilities. The Government funded a number of projects with companies like RCA and Bell Labs to advance this field. In the 1960s, private players like AT&T realizing the huge commercial potential of satellites, became interested in the commercial applications of satellites. On April 6, 1965 the global commercial satellite communications age began with COMSAT's first geostationary satellite, early bird, which was launched from Cape Canaveral. Another major improvement was achieved when lower earth orbit (LEO) satellites were introduced later. These LEO satellites are cheaper to launch and operate as they require lower launch orbits and signal strength by virtue of their closer proximity to earth. Giant satellite networks like Iridium (77 satellites at a cost of $3B) and Globalstar are now key players in this market. The second key technological