Launch of SCORE Satellite

Date: December 18, 1958 • Location: Washington, United States

The United States launched SCORE (rocket pictured), the world's first communications satellite.

SCORE was the world's first purpose-built communications satellite. Launched on December 18,1958, SCORE provided the first broadcast of a human voice from space. It was also the first successful usage of the Atlas rocket as a launch vehicle, The satellite was popularly dubbed "The Talking Atlas" as well as "Chatterbox".