Management of Small, Low-Cost Space Programs: A New Paradigm

Small spacecrafts were the first spacecrafts, which pioneered all of the major applications of space (excepting human space flight) including spacecraft technology (Sputnik, 83 kg, 1957) space research (Explorer 1, 14 kg, 1958), remote sensing of the earth (Explorer 6, 64 kg, 1959), and communications (from low earth orbit, Telstar, 77 kg, 1962, from GEO Syncom 2, 35 kg, 1963).