High flyer
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Ironically I had to read a new book about Ford in Europe to appreciate the company's close involvement in America's space programme. Although a Ford model T was the first car to be driven 4,400ft up Ben Nevis as long ago as 1911, I find it difficult to reconcile even this achievement with Ford weather satellites photographing the earth from the height of 22,250 miles.
Dennis Hackett, in The Big Idea, the story of Ford in Europe, mentions that the Ford Aerospace and Communications Corporation built and helps to operate the mission control centre at Houston. It has built 41 earth satellites and installed 54 major satellite earth stations and more than 800 microwave communications terminals world-wide.
As part of a $235 million contract the corporation is constructing seven Intelsat V satellites for the 102-nation International Telecommunications Organisation. The new system is due to begin service next year. We shall have Ford to thank for better international telephone, television, teletype and highspeed data-communication services in the 1980s.