In 1967, in the midst of the Cold War and the Space Race, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) organized a world-wide television broadcast called “Our World”.  It featured programming contributions from 14 countries and was seen by nearly 400 million people around the world.  The organizers and participants hoped that such cultural exchange might ease the tensions of the Cold War.  This dramatic instance of international communication was only possible through the new capability provided by communications satellites.  Join space history curator Martin Collins as he discusses two of the satellites used in the broadcast, ATS 1 and Intelsat II, which are represented in the Museum’s collection by engineering backups.

Meet at the Museum "Great Seal", in the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall on the first floor.

About the Ask an Expert lecture series: Every Wednesday at noon in the National Mall Building, a Museum staff member talks to the public about the history, collection, or personalities related to a specific artifact or exhibition in the Museum.