The satellite Atlas was launched from Cape Canaveral on this date in 1958. The spacecraft would make history the next day, beaming the first voice heard from space — a recording of President Eisenhower with a 58-word Christmas greeting. These words came at the height of the Cold War and the space race with the Soviet Union. Today, satellites daily perform vital functions — tracking the weather, relaying millions of telephone calls and computer links, as well as radio and television signals. Satellite manufacturing in the U.S. is a nearly $4 billion dollar a year business, while launch services earning another billion dollars. Worldwide, the manufacturing of satellites earns well over $10 billion per year, and launches almost $4 billion. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov