Telemetry Module, Communications Satellite, Satcom 1

Communications satellites are composed of a complex array of electronic devices that facilitate the receiving or sending of signals (known as the payload) with ground stations on the Earth, or support the operation of the satellite.

This device, a telemetry module, performed the second function, directing information to ground operators on the performance of satellite subsystems. The module processes hundreds of different types of performance data, including such varied parameters as temperature in the satellite, voltage in various circuits, and the attitude of the satellite in space.

This artifact was a back up and test device for the module that flew on Satcom 1, a communications satellite built by RCA Astro Electronics, launched in 1975, and operated by RCA Americom. Satcom 1, a milestone in communications satellite history, was one of the first satellites used by US broadcast networks (ABC, NBC, and CBS) and cable TV channels (such as TBS and CNN) to distribute their programming over large geographic areas. Distribution via satellite helped make cable TV a staple of everyday life in the United States and other countries.

Lockheed Martin donated this artifact to the Museum in 1998.