"THE RESULT WILL ENCOURAGE WORLD TRADE, EDUCATION, ENTERTAINMENT & MORE"

JFK SIGNS COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE ACT


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On August 31, 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed the Communications Satellite Act which called for cooperation between government & industry to create a satellite system to transmit television signals around the globe.


The President of the United States said...


"The result will be to encourage world trade, education, entertainment & many kinds of professional, political & personal discourse."

 Later, the President traveled to Newport, Rhode Island to welcome Mrs. Kennedy & Caroline back from their three week vacation in Italy.  The First Family will spend the Labor Day weekend at the Hammersmith Farm.

           
                       Satellite in Orbit
          Animation by Brandir (2006)

1ST COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE IN GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBIT

TV PICS TRANSMITTED ACROSS ATLANTIC BY "EARLY BIRD"

Cape Canaveral, Florida (JFK+50) On May 2, 1965, Intelsat I, a.k.a. Early Bird, the first communications satellite to be placed in geosynchronous orbit, transmitted the first television pictures across the Atlantic Ocean.

Intelsat I was launched from the Space Center here at Cape Canaveral on April 6, 1965.  The satellite, weighing 76 pounds, was built by Hughes Aircraft Corporation.  Intelsat I was used also to transmit telephone and telefacsimile signals.  The satellite was in service for 4 years and was deactivated in 1969.

President John F. Kennedy signed the Communications Satellite Act on August 31, 1962.  This legislation set the goal of establishing a satellite system in cooperation with other nations.

INTELSAT, International Telecommunication Satellite Consortium, was established on August 20, 1964.  INTELSAT transmitted images of Neil Armstrong walking on the Moon to millions of people around the world on July 20, 1969.

INTELSAT has offices in Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Singapore, South Africa, UAE, UK and USA.

SOURCE

www.intelsat.com/

Stanley R. Petersen & Ray Bowerman

Intelsat I

November 5, 1984

NASA Photo

INTELSAT I

EARLY BIRD TRANSMITS FIRST TV PICS ACROSS ATLANTIC OCEAN

Cape Canaveral, Florida (JFK+50) Fifty years ago today, May 2, 1965, Intelsat I, a.k.a. Early Bird, the first communications satellite to be placed in geosynchronous orbit, transmitted the first television pictures across the Atlantic Ocean.

Intelsat I had been launched from the Space Center here at Cape Canaveral on April 6, 1965.  The satellite, weighing in at 76 pounds, was built by Hughes Aircraft Corporation.

Intelsat I was used also to transmit telephone and telefacsimile signals.  The satellite was in service for four years and deactivated in January 1969.

President John F. Kennedy signed the Communications Satellite Act on August 31, 1962.  This legislation set the goal of establishing a satellite system in cooperation with other nations.

INTELSAT, International Telecommunication Satellite Consortium, was established on August 20, 1964.  INTELSAT transmitted images of Neil Armstrong walking on the Moon to millions of people around the world on July 20, 1969.

INTELSAT has offices in Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Singapore, South Africa, UAE, UK and USA.

SOURCE

www.intelsat.com/

Stanley R. Petersen & Ray Bowerman

Intelsat I

November 5, 1984

NASA Photo

JFK MEETS WITH NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

August 31, 1961


JFK MEETS WITH NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy met with the National Security Council this morning at the White House.


The topic of the meeting was the recent decision by the Soviet Union to resume nuclear testing.


Government officials expressed the view that the action by the USSR represents "atomic blackmail" with the intention of "substituting terrorism for reason."*


*JFK activated 75,000 NATO reserves with ships & aircraft to safeguard nuclear weapons in NATO member nations.

      JFK & National Security Council


August 31, 1961


JFK ATTENDS CEREMONY HONORING 1ST WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION LAW


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Kennedy attended a ceremony today to introduce a new United States Post Office Commemorative stamp on the 50th anniversary (tomorrow) of the 1st Workmen's Compensation Law.

         JFK & Senator Alexander Wiley 
               Photo by Robert Knudsen
                     JFK Library Photo




JFK also took the opportunity to talk about the need for the US government to address the problem of medical care for the elderly.

August 31, 1962


JFK SIGNS COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE ACT


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Kennedy signed today the Communications Satellite Act which calls for cooperation between government & industry to create a satellite system to transmit television signals around the globe.


JFK said:


"The result will be to encourage world trade, education, entertainment & many kinds of professional, political & personal discourse."

           
                       Satellite in Orbit
          Animation by Brandir (2006)


Later, the President traveled to Newport, Rhode Island to welcome Mrs. Kennedy & Caroline back from their 3 week vacation in Italy.  The First Family will spend the Labor Day weekend at the Hammersmith Farm.


August 31, 1951


JUSTICE DOUGLAS CALLS FOR RECOGNITION OF COMMUNIST CHINA


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas issued a statement today calling for the United States government to officially recognize the People's Republic of China.


Justice Douglas, who has spent most of the summer hiking & mountain climbing in the Soviet Union & China, expressed the belief that such recognition would benefit the United States.*


*The US had not recognized the communist government of mainland China under Mao Zedong & Republicans in Congress were still blaming President Truman for having "lost" China to the communists in 1949.

            Justice William O. Douglas


August 31, 1935


FDR SIGNS NEUTRALITY ACT OF 1935


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Neutrality Act of 1935 today at the White House.


The act calls for an "expression of the desire to avoid any action which might involve the United States in war."


The Neutrality Act will require American ships to be licensed to carry arms, restrict American citizens from sailing on ships of nations at war & impose an embargo on the sale of arms to such nations.

         President Franklin D. Roosevelt