The Story of Satellites By degraffj Period: Jan 1, 1950 to Mar 20, 2015 Artificial Satellites Oct 4, 1957 Sputnik Becomes the First Artificial Satellite Jan 31, 1958 Explorer 1 - First US Artificial Satellite Dec 18, 1958 Project Score - First Communications Satellite Apr 1, 1960 1st Weather Satellite Launched Aug 18, 1960 First Recovery of Film from a Spy Satellite (CORONA) Jul 10, 1962 Telstar 1 - First to Relay TV Aug 8, 1962 Mariner 2 Launch - Flyby of Venus Jul 16, 1963 Syncom 2 - 1st Satellite in Geosynchronous Orbit May 14, 1973 SKYLAB - 1st Space Station Feb 20, 1986 Launch of MIR Space Station Apr 24, 1990 Hubble Space Telescope Launched Dec 2, 1995 Solar & Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Mar 4, 1996 DISH Network Started using Echostar 1 May 5, 1997 Iridium 1 - First Satellite Telephone Nov 20, 1998 International Space Station Launched