SATELLITE TIME LINE

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P 1986NASA's Space Shuttle Challenger explodes. 1987Reston, Va., is chosen as the site for the space station headquarters. 1988NASA celebrates its 30th anniversary. 1989President George Bush names his first key space appointee, Mark Albrecht, as staff director of the National Space Council. Orbital Sciences Corp. and Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology agree to develop, launch and operate a small, low Earth-orbiting satellite.

P> 1986NASA's Space Shuttle Challenger explodes.

1987Reston, Va., is chosen as the site for the space station headquarters.

1988NASA celebrates its 30th anniversary.

1989President George Bush names his first key space appointee, Mark Albrecht, as staff director of the National Space Council.

Orbital Sciences Corp. and Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology agree to develop, launch and operate a small, low Earth-orbiting satellite.

1990The Hubble Space Telescope is crippled due to flaws in the optical design of its two mirrors.

1992President Bush fires NASA chief administrator Adm. Richard Truly and chooses TRW executive Daniel Goldin to head NASA.

1993Hughes Information Technology wins the $685 million Earth Observing System Data Information System contract.

Calling Communications Corp. proposes to launch an 840-satellite system, costing $6.5 billion.

1994President Bill Clinton allows the commercial sale of high-resolution satellite imagery.

President Clinton transfers responsibility for the Landsat program from the Department of Defense to NASA.

1996NASA announces a plan to reduce headquarters personnel by 730 positions.

President Clinton permits the commercial sector to use the Department of Defense's GPS technology.


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