FROM SPUTNIK TO STARLINK: THE HISTORY OF SATELLITES IN 62 YEARS
1957: Sputnik 1
First artificial satellite ever launched. Soviet Union shocked the world.
1958: Explorer 1
First US satellite. Discovered the Van Allen radiation belts.
1962: Telstar 1
First active communications satellite. Enabled live transatlantic TV.
1964: Syncom 3
First geostationary satellite. Broadcast the Tokyo Olympics live.
1978: GPS NAVSTAR-1
First GPS navigation satellite. Changed how humanity moves forever.
1998: Iridium Constellation
First LEO communications constellation with 66 satellites.
2013: Planet Labs Dove 1
First "New Space" CubeSat constellation. Democratized satellite imaging.
2019: Starlink v1.0
First 60 Starlink satellites launched. LEO broadband era begins.
Today: 10,550 Starlink satellites in orbit with a target of 29,988.
It took 62 years to go from one satellite to thousands. The next 10 years will make everything before them look slow.
Jarsy: http://x.com/i/article/2064954641415278592
The post reviews the 62-year history of satellites from Sputnik 1 in 1957 to Starlink in 2019, highlighting key milestones and predicting that the next decade will see unprecedented acceleration in the industry.
Mentioned purely as a historical milestone for being the first LEO communications constellation in 1998. No investment opinion is expressed. No external data provided.
Mentioned as a historical milestone for being the first 'New Space' CubeSat constellation in 2013. No investment opinion is expressed. No external data provided.
关键要点
Lists major historical milestones in satellite technology, including the first artificial satellite, communications satellite, and GPS.
Highlights Iridium as the first LEO communications constellation and Planet Labs for democratizing satellite imaging.
Notes the beginning of the LEO broadband era with Starlink, which now has over 10,000 satellites in orbit.
Predicts that the pace of satellite development in the next 10 years will make the past 62 years look slow.
