December 18th in Astronomy and Space Science
![]() | 1958 | A taped Christmas message from president Eisenhower is broadcast from the SCORE satellite, the first artificial communications satellite capable of relaying communications from Earth. The satellite received transmissions from Earth, stored up to four minutes on tape, and then re-broadcast them back to Earth. SCORE's receiver was a modified pocket pager and its transmitter was an Army walkie-talkie with an extra amplifier. Its batteries failed after twelve days in orbit. |