Model, Communications Satellite, Intelsat IV

In 1964, the International Telecommunication Satellite Consortium (Intelsat) was formed with the goal of creating and operating a global communication satellite system. In its first years, Intelsat made substantial progress. Its notable achievements included beaming television coverage of the historic Apollo moon landing to over 500 million viewers worldwide. By the early 1970s the system was vital to international voice communications and served an increased demand for television services.

To meet the demand for space-based services, Intelsat developed the Intelsat IV communications satellite, eight of which were launched from 1971 to 1975. Built by Hughes Aircraft, the Intelsat IV series represented a dramatic increase in capability from prior satellites. The satellite's communications subsystem contained the first narrow beam antennas and provided 9000 telephone circuits.

Hughes Aircraft donated this 1/24 scale model of an Intelsat IV satellite to the Museum in 1975.