[X] My Assistant

[Guest_PhilCo126_*]

Telstar 1, an experimental AT&T communications satellite, launched on 10th July 1962, relayed the first live transatlantic television signal in July 1962. Afterwards it also relayed telephone, faxes and other data through space from the US to Europe via Goonhilly Down in the south of England, a British Broadcasting Corp ground station. According to the US Space Objects Registry, Telstar 1 was still in orbit as of October 2007.
Does anyone have details on its orbit? (Elliptical 45° inclined - Apogee 3500 miles / Perigee 600 miles ?)

[ilbasso]

In NORAD format, the orbital elements are:
Telstar 1 0.9 0.0 0.0 8.7
1 00340U 62A-E 1 92 12.19302914 .00000116 00000-0 89575-3 0 7375
2 00340 44.8120 317.5192 2426673 342.9995 10.1519 9.127704869 84223

(from http://textfiles.fisher.hu/hamradio/FREQUENCIES/101n2l.ham)

If I'm reading that correctly, that indicates an inclination of 44.812 degrees, eccentricity of 0.243, and it makes 9.13 revolutions per day.