The 1959 concept of an inflatable sattelite

 


PASSIVE communication satellite of aluminum foil bonded to plastic film is to be launched into nearly circular 1,000.mi. orbit in late 1959 or early 1960. Sphere, shown deflated and inflated in Langley hangar, inflates in orbit. 

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images and info provided by the Aviation Week ARCHIVE from the Zetu Harrys Collection