# Syncom 2

> communications satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q1703201](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1703201)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/syncom-2

## Summary
Syncom 2 was a communications satellite launched on July 26, 1963, as part of the Syncom program. It was the first geostationary communications satellite, enabling long-distance telephone and television transmissions by maintaining a fixed position over the Earth. Developed by Hughes Aircraft Company, it was launched aboard a Delta B rocket from Cape Canaveral.

## Key Facts
- **Launch date**: July 26, 1963
- **Launch vehicle**: Delta B
- **Manufacturer**: Hughes Aircraft Company
- **Orbit**: Geosynchronous orbit
- **Significant event**: First successful geostationary communications satellite
- **SCN (Spacecraft Catalog Number)**: 00634
- **COSPAR ID**: 1963-031A
- **Launch site**: Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17
- **Part of**: Syncom program
- **Instance of**: Communications satellite

## FAQs
### Q: What was the purpose of Syncom 2?
A: Syncom 2 was designed to provide the first geostationary communications satellite, enabling long-distance telephone and television transmissions by maintaining a fixed position over the Earth.

### Q: Who launched Syncom 2?
A: Syncom 2 was launched by the United States on July 26, 1963, using a Delta B rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17.

### Q: What was unique about Syncom 2?
A: Syncom 2 was the first satellite to achieve a geostationary orbit, revolutionizing global communications by allowing continuous coverage of a specific region.

### Q: Who manufactured Syncom 2?
A: Syncom 2 was manufactured by Hughes Aircraft Company, a key player in early satellite communications.

### Q: What was the significance of Syncom 2?
A: Syncom 2 demonstrated the feasibility of geostationary satellites, paving the way for modern satellite communications systems like Intelsat and other global telecom networks.

## Why It Matters
Syncom 2 was a groundbreaking achievement in space technology, marking the first successful geostationary communications satellite. Launched in 1963, it enabled long-distance telephone and television transmissions by maintaining a fixed position over the Earth, revolutionizing global communications. This milestone demonstrated the feasibility of geostationary orbits and laid the foundation for modern satellite communications systems like Intelsat. Syncom 2’s success paved the way for future advancements in space-based telecommunications, making it a pivotal moment in the history of satellite technology.

## Notable For
- **First geostationary communications satellite**: Syncom 2 was the first satellite to achieve a geostationary orbit, enabling continuous coverage of a specific region.
- **Pioneered satellite communications**: It demonstrated the potential of satellites for long-distance telecommunications, influencing the development of modern global communications networks.
- **Hughes Aircraft Company’s innovation**: The satellite was developed by Hughes Aircraft Company, a key player in early space communications technology.
- **Delta B launch vehicle**: Syncom 2 was launched using the Delta B rocket, which played a crucial role in early satellite deployments.
- **Cape Canaveral’s role**: The launch site, Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17, was instrumental in the mission’s success.

## Body
### Overview
Syncom 2 was a communications satellite launched on July 26, 1963, as part of the Syncom program. It was the first geostationary communications satellite, enabling long-distance telephone and television transmissions by maintaining a fixed position over the Earth.

### Development and Launch
- **Manufacturer**: Hughes Aircraft Company
- **Launch vehicle**: Delta B
- **Launch date**: July 26, 1963
- **Launch site**: Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17

### Orbit and Function
- **Orbit**: Geosynchronous orbit
- **Significance**: First successful geostationary communications satellite
- **Applications**: Enabled long-distance telephone and television transmissions

### Identification and Classification
- **SCN (Spacecraft Catalog Number)**: 00634
- **COSPAR ID**: 1963-031A
- **Instance of**: Communications satellite
- **Part of**: Syncom program

### Historical Context
- **First geostationary satellite**: Syncom 2 revolutionized global communications by maintaining a fixed position over the Earth.
- **Influence on modern communications**: Paved the way for modern satellite communications systems like Intelsat.

### Additional Details
- **Wikipedia languages**: Available in German, Spanish, Hungarian, Latvian, and Polish.
- **Wikidata description**: Communications satellite.
- **Google Knowledge Graph ID**: /g/120txhrz
- **Wolfram Language Entity Code**: Entity["Satellite", "00634"]
- **Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID**: topic/Syncom-2

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report