Rosen,
known as the "father of the geostationary
satellite," led the team that developed the
groundbreaking Syncom satellite. Launched in July
1963, Syncom conclusively demonstrated the practicality
of geosynchronous orbit.
That resulted in the adoption of the geostationary
orbit and led to satellites for Communication
Satellite System (Comsat) and Intelsat, which
advanced international and transoceanic telephone,
television and data transmissions via satellite.
"With each successful use of space-based
technology, this new industry's focus expanded
to include scientific, exploratory, intelligence
and imagery gathering, in addition to commercial
telecommunications," Rosen said. "It
was more than the sky being the limit, because
in space there is no limit."
Rosen, who began his career with Boeing legacy
company Hughes in 1956, eventually directed the
development of more than 150 communications satellites
before retiring in 1993. He serves today as a
Boeing consultant.
Rosen has won numerous awards and was inducted
into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2003.
He received the National Academy of Engineering's
Draper Prize in1995, the National Medal of Technology
in 1985, the Communications and Computing Prize
from NEC in 1985, the 1982 Alexander Graham Bell
Medal and the 1976 Ericsson International Prize
in Communications.
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