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a425couple
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 Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 12:48 am Post subject: What satellite was "big baloon"? |
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Sorry to pop in and ask a dumb question
(think it just a mental block today,
think most days I>d remember, and even
worse today I can>t even find it on google!!)
As I recall in probably early 1960s the USA
put up a satellite. It was inflated into a
rather huge baloon?
What was the name of it?
(then I can search, courious about it>s
size, height of orbit, length of time it
was big and in orbit.)
Thanks in advance. |
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Painius
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| Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 2:57 am Post subject: Re: What satellite was "big baloon"? |
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"a425couple" <a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote...
in message news:ggc8jb29i3@news6.newsguy.com...
[quote]
Sorry to pop in and ask a dumb question (think it just a mental block
today, think most days I>d remember, and even worse today I can>t even
find it on google!!)
As I recall in probably early 1960s the USA put up a satellite. It was
inflated into a rather huge baloon?
What was the name of it?
(then I can search, courious about it>s size, height of orbit, length of
time it was big and in orbit.)
Thanks in advance.
[/quote]
There were five launched in the early sixties...
Echo 1 ----------- 1960
Explorer 9 ------- 1961
Explorer 19 ------ 1963
Echo 2 ----------- 1964
Explorer 24 ------ 1964
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_satellite
HTH
happy days and...
starry starry nights!
--
Indelibly yours,
Paine Ellsworth
P.S.: "I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a
citizen of the world." > Socrates
P.P.S.: http://yummycake.secretsgolden.com
http://garden-of-ebooks.blogspot.com
http://painellsworth.net |
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Golden California Girls
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| Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 4:16 am Post subject: Re: What satellite was "big baloon"? |
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a425couple wrote:
[quote]Sorry to pop in and ask a dumb question (think it just a mental block
today, think most days I>d remember, and even worse today I can>t even
find it on google!!)
As I recall in probably early 1960s the USA put up a satellite. It was
inflated into a rather huge baloon?
What was the name of it?
(then I can search, courious about it>s size, height of orbit, length of
time it was big and in orbit.)
Thanks in advance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echo_satellite[/quote] |
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Anthony Buckland
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| Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 5:00 am Post subject: Re: What satellite was "big baloon"? |
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"Golden California Girls" <gldncagrls@aol.com.mil> wrote in message
news:ggcko6$m60$2@aioe.org...
[quote]a425couple wrote:
Sorry to pop in and ask a dumb question (think it just a mental block
today, think most days I>d remember, and even worse today I can>t even
find it on google!!)
As I recall in probably early 1960s the USA put up a satellite. It was
inflated into a rather huge baloon?
What was the name of it?
(then I can search, courious about it>s size, height of orbit, length of
time it was big and in orbit.)
Thanks in advance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echo_satellite
[/quote]
Having been (1) alive and (2) a TV-watching adult at the time,
I recall two events:
- The US tried an experimental video bounce for local reception.
Nevertheless, the UK, with a 200-foot radio telescope, was
able to receive the thoroughly scattered signal. "It>s a face!"
exclaimed an unnamed British scientist. AFAIK, the first
trans-Atlantic video satellite transmission.
- That having been done, a deliberate TV transmission was
set up. Live, with events prearranged such as the liftoff
of an early ground-effect vehicle. The quality wasn>t bad,
but it was necessarily brief, and cut off suddenly when the
balloon went below the horizon.
Such things were highly exciting in the days before everyone>s
current familiarity with the daily speed of light confirmation in
the delay between question and answer via geosynchronous
satellite. |
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a425couple
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 8:24 am Post subject: Re: What satellite was "big baloon"? |
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"Anthony Buckland" <anthonybucklandnospam@telus.net> wrote ...
[quote]"Golden California Girls" <gldncagrls@aol.com.mil> wrote ...
a425couple wrote:
Sorry to pop in and ask a dumb question
As I recall in probably early 1960s the USA put up a satellite. It was
inflated into a rather huge baloon?
What was the name of it?
[/quote]
I very much thank Painus, Golden California Girls, and
Mr. Buckland for the kind and informative responses.
Really neat 'flashback' below!
You>all have a splendid night.
[quote]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echo_satellite
Having been (1) alive and (2) a TV-watching adult at the time,
I recall two events:
- The US tried an experimental video bounce for local reception.
Nevertheless, the UK, with a 200-foot radio telescope, was
able to receive the thoroughly scattered signal. "It>s a face!"
exclaimed an unnamed British scientist. AFAIK, the first
trans-Atlantic video satellite transmission.
- That having been done, a deliberate TV transmission was
set up. Live, with events prearranged such as the liftoff
of an early ground-effect vehicle. The quality wasn>t bad,
but it was necessarily brief, and cut off suddenly when the
balloon went below the horizon.
Such things were highly exciting in the days before everyone>s
current familiarity with the daily speed of light confirmation in
the delay between question and answer via geosynchronous
satellite.[/quote] |
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