SATCOM
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Area of research: Satellite Communications
Sir Isaac Newton first gave an explanation of gravity in the late 17th century. It didn't take much time for people to start theorizing about the possibility of launching an artificial satellite that would orbit the earth just like the moon. The technology to make these theories and dreams reality was not available until the middle of the 20th century.
The first real research and progress made in developing the technology was actually a result of the weapons research the Germans conducted during WWII. The first artificial satellite was launched by Russia in 1957. It was called Sputnik and was basically a spherical case with a radio. Its orbit was very low, only a few hundred miles above the earth. Subsequently it would orbit the earth once every 90 minutes.
A few years later the space race truly began when the United States launched its first satellite. The Soviets then launched their first Cosmonaut, who was the first man to orbit the Earth...