Model, Intelsat V-A

In 1965, the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Intelsat) launched the Early Bird satellite (also known as Intelsat 1). This event marked the beginning of day-to-day, operational communications via space and established Intelsat, a consortium of tens of nations, as the primary means for providing this new capability. Over the next two decades, Intelsat and its satellites helped change the way communications flowed around world--from telephone calls, to television, and data.

A total of nine Intelsat V and V-A satellites (built by Ford Aerospace) were launched from 1980 through 1984.

This artifact is a 1/16 scale model, donated by Ford Aerospace to the Museum in 1989.