Satellite Internet access Satellite Internet access Satellite Internet access is Internet access provided through communications satellites. Modern consumer grade satellite Internet service is typically provided to individual users through geostationary satellites that can offer relatively high data speeds, with newer satellites using to achieve downstream data speeds up to 506 Mbps. Following the launch of the first satellite, Sputnik 1, by the Soviet Union in October 1957, the US successfully launched the Explorer 1 satellite in 1958. The first commercial communications satellite was Telstar 1, built by Bell Labs and launched in July 1962. The idea of a geosynchronous satellite—one that could orbit
APT Satellite Holdings a different department of the State Council. The establishment of APT Satellite Company Limited was approved by the State Council of the People's Republic of China on 26 March 1992. However, the company was in fact incorporated on 21 January 1992 as Free Union Limited, renaming to Trans-Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Co., Ltd. on 10 March and finally APT Satellite Co., Ltd. on 15 April. As at 31 December 2016, APT Satellite Holdings, via wholly owned subsidiary APT Satellite Company Limited (“APT Satellite” or “APSTAR”) owns and operates four in-orbit satellites that include Apstar 5, Apstar 6, Apstar 7 and Apstar