Intelsat 1

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

23:47:50

Tuesday April 6, 1965

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Mission Details

Intelsat I

Wiki

Intelsat I, also known as Early Bird, was the world's first commercial communications satellite and was used to provide line of sight communications between Europe and North America. As a communications repeater, the satellite handled communications that were representative of all types of common carrier network traffic, including telephone, television, telegraph, and facsimile transmissions.

Geostationary Transfer Orbit

1 Payload

68 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Delta D

Active 1964 to 1965


Payload to Orbit

LEO: 575 kg

GTO: 104 kg

Liftoff Thrust

1,725 Kilonewtons

Stages

3

Strap-ons

3

Launch Site

SLC-17A

Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

Fastest Turnaround

11 days 12 hours

Stats

Delta D


2nd

Mission

1st

Mission of 1965

1965


32nd

Orbital launch attempt