On This Day in Science History - July 10

On July 10, 1962 NASA launched AT&T's Telstar 1 satellite. The satellite was designed to relay television and telephone signals between the United States and Europe. Shortly after orbit was achieved, a test signal was sent from the U.S. ground station in Andover, Maine of the American flag outside the station with the Star Spangled Banner music. The French ground station at Pleumeur-Bodou received and sent back the signal to prove the system worked. The second test involved a long distance telephone call between Vice-President Lyndon Johnson and AT&T chairman Fred Kappel.

The Telstar series of satellites would unite the world via television and telephone. Find out what else occurred on this day in science history.