Satellite Communication - a Successful Prediction

Aurthur Clarke, a Sci-Fi author, published a technical paper in 1945 titled: "Extra-terrestrial Relays – Can Rocket Stations Give World-wide Radio Coverage?" Clarke later described the technical concept of satellite communications in essays he published between 1958 and 1961.

In 1967 Herman Kahn and Anthony Wiener published "The Year 2000", which listed 100 technology innovations for the 20th century. One of their many successful predictions included this one: "Direct broadcasts from satellites to home receivers". Kahn and Wiener basically extended Clarke's vision to predict wide-spread commercial use of satellite communications.

Satellite communications have become a many-billion-dollar technology. What made this such a successful prediction? Was the future inevitable, and completely independent of these predictions? Or did these predictions influence the future? I'll explore these questions in my next post.