Introduction
Introduction DONNA A. DEMAC In 1985, the space shuttle Discovery went into space with five Americans, a Saudi Arabian prince, and a Frenchman on board. During the weeklong journey, two communications satellites were launched for the Mexican government and a consortium of twenty- one Arab nations, while laser and biomedical experiments were conducted for the U.S. military and several countries in Europe. These activities were paving the way for the next era in outer space. The principal objectives of the first era, global connectivity and technological breakthroughs for both the space and earth segment, had been accomplished. The new objectives include the use of space stations for scientific and industrial applications, and the establishment of worldwide, multi-user, multi-purpose infor- mation networks that will include satellites, digital switches, glass fiber cables, and mobile communications. Like the space shuttle crew, communication has be- come truly international. Over 1.5 billion television viewers in sixty-eight countries watched the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. One hundred and ten countries are members of INTELSAT, the core network for telephone transmission worldwide. A similar international organization, Intersputnik, provides satellite services to the Eastern bloc and some developing countries. The proliferation of satellites amidst the introduction xii DONNA A. DEMAC of sophisticated telecommunications technologies is transforming business activities and national perspectives on international com- munication. There are today approximately one hundred and sixty commercial satellites in orbit. In the industrialized world, satellites are being used to provide telephone service, data communication, video, and specialized networks. In the developing countries, In- dia, Indonesia, Brazil, and Mexico own satellites which are used for business, education, entertainment, and national unification.
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