Satellites for the Benefit of Mexican People: Past, Present and Future

We all remember with great enthusiasm the first active communications satellite Telstar 1. The satellite was successfully released in orbit on 10 July 1962 with the mission of transmitting television and voice signals across the Atlantic Ocean from space. The Telstar 1 weighed about 77 kg and it revolutionized the history of communications around the world. The satellite was famous for transmitting the first television signal from an artificial satellite. This technological achievement served as the basis to start the vision of a geostationary satellite system for Mexico. The Government planned a satellite system that would offer vital telecommunications services for the country, national security, global connectivity, and function as a facilitator for daily life. Finally, in the 1980’s a system of geostationary satellites called Morelos I and Morelos II were acquired from foreign companies. In the 1990s, institutions and research centers began the development their own satellites. A satellite project was born at the National Autonomous University of Mexico known as UNAMSAT. These events fostered the development of a Mexican space agency and the birth of new low-cost satellite initiatives for the benefit of the Mexican people. Currently, there are several satellites projects developed by universities and government agencies. This article presents past present and future of satellite technology used by the Government of Mexico to aid people across the nation.