August 12, 1960: The launch of the Echo 1A satellite by NASA. This milestone in space project management demonstrated the feasibility of satellite communication, paving the way for future advancements. Learn more about Echo 1A.
Echo 1
This photograph shows the first pass of Echo 1, America’s first communications satellite, over the Goldstone Tracking Station managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in Pasadena, California, in the early morning of Aug. 12, 1960. The movement of the antenna, star trails, and Echo 1 (the long streak in the middle) are visible in this image.