The Rise and Fall of COMSAT Technology, Business, and Government in
After pioneering this technology and growing the market, COMSAT fell prey to changes in government policy and to its own lack of entrepreneurial talent. The author explores the factors which contributed to this rise and fall of COMSAT.
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The Rise and Fall of COMSAT Technology, Business, and Government in Satellite Communications David J. Whalen University of North Dakota, USA
© David J. Whalen 2014 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2014 978-1-137-39691-4 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2014 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries.
ISBN 978-1-349-48473-7 ISBN 978-1-137-39693-8 (eBook) DOI 10.1057/9781137396938 This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
Contents List of Figures and Tables
vi
Acknowledgements
vii
Note on Sources
viii
Introduction: A Technological Camelot 1 The Communications Satellite Act of 1962
1 6
2 Creating COMSAT
37
3 Creating Intelsat
67
4 Rising to the Peak
88
5 Mobile Satellite Communications
112
6 Technology
131
7 Domsats (COMSTAR and SBS)
144
8 Direct Broadcast Satellites
172
9 The Old Guard Retires
184
10 Fadeout
203
Epilog: Post-Mortem
222
Glossary
226
Notes
233
Index
271
v
Figures and Tables Figures 5.1 9.1 10.1 10.2
COMSAT’s Inmarsat revenues and operating income COMSAT revenues and net income COMSAT revenues COMSAT operating income
129 194 206 206
Tables 3.1 3.2 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4
Hughes-built Early Bird and Intelsat II series Intelsat III series MARECS satellites Intelsat V satellites with MCS Inmarsat II satellites Inmarsat III satellites
vi
72 74 125 125 126 127
Acknowledgements I would like to thank all who contributed both to this book on COMSAT and to my previous book o
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