Intelsat Turns 50

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its creation, satellite service provider Intelsat has created a video library that ranges from the earliest days of commercial space sector to current developments.

The library includes interviews with contributors to the earliest days of the commercial space sector, as well as people involved in current innovations. The video gallery also includes the stories of Intelsat’s customers and employees regarding the vital role of satellite communications.

The International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (INTELSAT) was established on Aug. 20, 1964 as a result of agreements with a variety of governments and operating entities. It has since played a key role in the advance of telecommunications services and helped speed up the broadcast of news around the world for a number of events, including Intelsat’s global satellite broadcast of Neil Armstrong’s walk on the moon in 1969.

The intergovernmental consortium was privatized in 2001.

"I can think of no better way to honor Intelsat’s 50th year and those early pioneers of space than by looking to the future and the advances that are taking place in space-based communications that will transform how people, machines, and businesses connect to one another," stated Dave McGlade, chairman and CEO, Intelsat in a statement on the creation of the video library. "The advent of high throughput satellite technology, such as Intelsat EpicNG, and innovation occurring at all levels of our ecosystem will ensure that communities and businesses around the world have the information and content they need to progress and thrive. That was our mission in 1964 and remains critically important at Intelsat today as we endeavor to connect people of the world."