Happy 50th Telstar
Last Update: July 12, 2012
Fifty years ago, the first global broadcast took place when Walter Cronkite used the Telstar Satellite to announce the event to the United States and Europe. In 1957 I graduated from the University of Utah and worked on the development of the aluminum oxide substrates that were the base for the solar cells. The satellite was launced at the time I was returning to graduate school.
This was an exciting time in technology and we worked on many ceramics for nuclear, electronic, chemical and mechanical applications. Most of our projects were secret and we worked closely with contractors for the government and government agencies. One of our major projects was making radomes for missiles. The radome is a window for radar to pass through to guide the missile. It had to be shaped and ground to unbelievable close standards, down to 10 millionth of an inch.
Exciting times for a young engineer.
John
This was an exciting time in technology and we worked on many ceramics for nuclear, electronic, chemical and mechanical applications. Most of our projects were secret and we worked closely with contractors for the government and government agencies. One of our major projects was making radomes for missiles. The radome is a window for radar to pass through to guide the missile. It had to be shaped and ground to unbelievable close standards, down to 10 millionth of an inch.
Exciting times for a young engineer.
John
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mama2karsten
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I enjoy reading your posts. You are very helpful with WA info, but you also open a window for us to peer into that shares hints from a past that existed before many of us.
It is so wonderful to be reminded of the many innovations that made this country prosper and the people like you that were actually part of it. I Thank You for that. Imagine if we had that same kind of determination today. Yes, there are a few, but certainly not as many as a percentage of the population. Your generation was willing to do whatever it took to make ends meet. They took whatever jobs they had to take care of their families. They did what they had to do. Peering into a timeframe through your lens is inspiring.
That's one of the things I like best about the WA community... It is a community of people rich in ideas... determined to create something to fulfill their dream... willing to help those that are willing to learn... It's refreshing to know the entrepreneurial spirit is very much alive here at WA.
It is so wonderful to be reminded of the many innovations that made this country prosper and the people like you that were actually part of it. I Thank You for that. Imagine if we had that same kind of determination today. Yes, there are a few, but certainly not as many as a percentage of the population. Your generation was willing to do whatever it took to make ends meet. They took whatever jobs they had to take care of their families. They did what they had to do. Peering into a timeframe through your lens is inspiring.
That's one of the things I like best about the WA community... It is a community of people rich in ideas... determined to create something to fulfill their dream... willing to help those that are willing to learn... It's refreshing to know the entrepreneurial spirit is very much alive here at WA.
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