Communications: Satellites: Not just a big cable in the sky: High bit rates, high reliability, low costs, and versatility are features of satellite communications systems

In 1975, the pace of development of communication satellite systems has accelerated markedly. NASA successfully launched three commercial communication satellites from Cape Canaveral during 1974 but, during 1975, from eight to ten such launches are anticipated. Fueling this development are the lower costs and special capabilities that satellite links offer communication users; particularly data communication users. For example, long-haul service provided by satellite is usually more cost-effective than comparable service provided by purely terrestrial links. This is especially true of specialized higher data rate services. Today there is little, if any, terrestrial capacity available to provide long-haul transmission of data at rates of one million bits per second and higher. To provide new services at these rates in most situations will require both large inflexible investments and new construction of terrestrial facilities, which will require long implementation times. Satellite systems can be quickly and inexpensively installed to establish circuit connections wherever the user desires and at the data rates that he needs.