

NASA developments for improving the picture and sound received from satellites are now part of commercial satellite dishes.
#NASA TV TV#
You can purchase a TV satellite dish to capture TV signals directly from a satellite service provider rather than a land-based TV tower or cable connection.Next, let's look at how the continued work of NASA has contributed to today's TV technology. So far, we've looked at how NASA accelerated the growth of television technology through the 1960s. In the years that followed, NASA's Applications Technology Satellites Program (ATS) conducted communications experiments that ushered in the multibillion dollar commercial market we have in satellite services today. Telstar I was used for the first transatlantic television transmission on July 11, 1962, between the U.S. Īs a result of the boom in satellite technology, NASA helped AT&T launch the first commercial communications satellite, the Telstar I, in 1962. This, combined with the mixed results of successive Explorer satellite launches, set the stage for improving the quality and longevity of satellite communications for future missions. When the satellite's battery ran out after four months, NASA lost contact with Explorer I. Explorer I's primary mission was to gather data about cosmic radiation during its twelve and a half orbits of Earth each day. When NASA launched its first satellite, Explorer I, in January 1958, the range of wireless communication changed forever. Powerful antennas placed on tall towers, buildings and mountains help send signals farther, but their distances are still limited. Obstacles on the ground and the curve of the Earth make line-of-sight difficult for more than a few miles. You're probably familiar with the line-of-sight challenge if you've ever had to locate that perfect place in your home for a TV or radio antenna, allowing you to pick up the most channels with the least interference. One of the issues with wireless communication like TV is having a line of sight between sender and receiver. The earliest influence of NASA on television was extending the reach of TV broadcasts.
