May 22 1984
From The Space Library
An Arianespace Ariane I rocket lifted off at 9:33 a.m. EDT to orbit a U.S. communications satellite 22,300 miles above the equator in the world's first strictly commercial space venture. Virginia-based GTE Spacenet Corporation built the satellite, which was intended to relay thousands of simultaneous television, telephone, and data transmission channels to U.S. domestic subscribers over the next 10 years. The corporation would launch other satellites later in the year and early in 1985.
ESA had contracts for 28 launches worth more than $800 million, plus options for another 19. More than 40% of the orders came from outside Europe. (W Post, May 22184, A-24)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
