A satellite was launched for the first time with frequency division multiple access in 1966. After functioning for nearly 20 years, it slipped into a useless orbit almost 7 years after official deactivation

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ATS-1 was launched on December 7, 1966, to test satellite communications, weather observation and orbital technologies. The spacecraft was the first to use frequency division multiple access to combine independently transmitted signals for delivery over a downlink carrier. After getting deactivated…