area and very low Earth orbit forcing reentry after only 500 laps around the planet due to aerodynamic resistance. Also, SCORE relied on a passive reflector, which greatly reduced signal strength, since it did not amplify the signal before sending it back to earth.

The Telstar project represented a substantial financial investment to advance satellite communications technology. According to a memorandum dated 16 August 1962, the total expenditure for the Telstar experimental satellite project, as reported by AT&T to Senator Kerr,