Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
23:47:50
Tuesday April 6, 1965
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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
Agency
US Air ForcePayload to Orbit
LEO: 575 kg
GTO: 104 kg
Liftoff Thrust
1,725 Kilonewtons
Stages
3
Strap-ons
3
2nd
Mission
1st
Mission of 1965
32nd
Orbital launch attempt