NASA's Big Metal Balls

Did you know that in the 1960s, NASA launched a groundbreaking satellite that forever changed the way we communicate? Meet Echo; the weirdest satellite ever launched, and in this video, we'll unravel its incredible story and learn more about how Echo's technological advancements continue to influence spacecraft today.

Don't miss this journey into the history of space communication with Echo, and stay tuned until the end for your chance to win in the next exciting giveaway!

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Short on time? Feel free to skip ahead in this video using the chapter links below.

00:00 NASA's Project Echo
00:57 Testing Satellite Communications
01:42 Constructing Echo 1
03:47 How Did Echo 1 Work?
04:37 Constructing Echo 2
06:13 What we Learned from Project Echo

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3D Modeler: Orkun Zengin

Music used in this video:

Gentle Heroics - Trevor Kowalski
Sunset Trails - DJ Williams
San Pedro - Sugoi
Double You - The Mini Vandals
February - Middle Mountain

#NASA #Echo #ProjectEcho

[ericdary]

It’s nice to know that scientist have giant metal balls.

[pilotusa]

As a 6-year-old in 1957, I remember standing on our front lawn with my family to watch Sputnik-1 pass overhead. We saw what we thought was Sputnik, but I have since learned that it was so tiny it was nearly impossible to see. What we likely did see was the much larger third-stage booster that followed behind the satellite for a while.

[kinglycrown]

It's kind of hilarious how the sun's heat caused the balloon to expand, but ultimately it was the Sun's solar wind itself that pushed them back into earth's atmosphere 😅 But I would definitely love to see a giant Balloon in our night sky anynight❤

[toshal]

The first satellite that I saw, was the ISS. One day, I saw a NASA video on how to spot the station from your backyard. I couldn't believe that you can see a satellite from the ground. So the next day, I woke up at 5am, and took my mom along with me. After waiting for a few minutes, I finally saw it! In fact, my mom was more enthusiastic than I was!! And ever since that day, she too became an astrophile just like me.

[dulguun]

The first satelite I saw was the Starlink satelite train. At that moment I felt like aliens were real and later that night I found out it was a satelite. It really insipered me, how humanity could make such a thing.

[craigkdillon]

As a child in Chicago, I remember watching Echo as it streamed across the sky.
It was very visible, and light pollution was a lot less then.

How much less was light pollution??
Well, walking on Grand Ave near Ashland, I could look up and see the Milky Way.
I could even see the Pleiades.
Also known as The Seven Sisters, which were used by the Ancient Greeks to test a person's eyesight.
Yes, I knew that stuff at the age of 8.
Much better schooling back then, that is for sure.

[Klaatu-ijuz]

I recall seeing Echo as my first observed satellite. One thing odd about it was the fact that Echo would "Jog" slightly and quickly in orbit. I could discern this movement from the ground. VERY unusual to say the least!

[markloveless]

Excellent! I loved how you kept the car from the iconic photo in the animations - nice touch!

I was hoping for a bigger shout-out for the Holmdel antenna. Built specifically for Echo, they had a pesky noise problem that after lots of tries (including cleaning out all the pigeon poop in the horn) turned out to be the cosmic microwave background radiation. They got a Nobel Prize out of the deal. Echo was the gift that kept on giving.

[brunosalinas]

I remember as if it were yesterday when I first saw a satellite. I stayed up all night waiting for it to appear, I was checking an application to track it, thinking about how incredible the experience was going to be. When I finally saw it, I realized that we are nothing in the vastness of space, but it simply made me happy. To this date I don’t know which satellite was it.

[T.h.w.T]

The first satellite i ever saw was quite a few years ago. I went out camping with my family, and I stayed up late to look at the stars. Then bright pulsing light flew overhead, slowly making its way across the night sky. I don't know what satellite it was, but I've seen quite a few satellites fly over, because the small city i live in isn't very populated, so there´s not that much light pollution. I also live surrounded by 2 big mountains in the south andes, so whenever we leave town at night its easy to see the sky and lots of stars.

[Ehawkkk]

A while ago I got to see the space shuttle docking with the ISS. It was super cool to see the two dots moving right next to each other before they met up.

[distar]

My first satellite was Echo 1 which was insanely bright. It was another reason why I thought the sky was great. I soon got deeply in astronomy and for good measure aviation.

[twissi]

It's magnificent to see things that revolutionised things we use every day. Thank you for showing us these amazing technical marvels.

[SimonsAstronomy]

The first sattelite i ever saw was when i was observing the stars with my dad in our garden. I was around 8 years old. That was the same time i saw a meteorite. Moment i saw the satellite, i was amazed by how small and distant thing can be seen with my eyes.

[RogerGarrett]

I remember seeing Echo one evening as it went over New Jersey. I had no idea the two Echoes were up there for over a decade.

[MrDhalli]

I was 5 years old when we landed on the moon, so I consider my self somewhat of a space buff. That being said I never heard of this program, well done, and thank you for sharing it with us.

[MrPGC]

I vaguely remember hearing about this thing when I was really young (I grew up in the '60s), then didn't hear anything about it at all for years, never heard much details about it at all 'til now. So fascinating, interesting video all around, well done.

[GalaxyOneFilms]

The first satellite I ever saw was the older generation Iridium satellites, when those were still flying around. My dad would check online when a good one was going to pass over and we'd stand out in the middle of the street, probably looking like idiots. Seeing this small pinprick of light appear, flare, and then disappear as quickly as it came was utterly amazing.

[Yaslovesvenus]

The first satellite I saw was when my best friend was visiting my grandmas house and we lay down on the grass to watch the stars and we saw the satellite moving and we both smiles and it was one of the most beautiful and magical moments of my life.
And i would like to thank you for making the most amazing videos.

[EdvanDomingues]

For me the first experience seeing a satellite... was years ago, when I and my sister was younger, we downloaded a tracking app and began looking the skies. Hours after when the sun was touching the horizon we get the amazing view of the ISS. Was a great day for us ❤