Joseph V. Charyk | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 1st Director of the National Reconnaissance Office | |
| In office September 6, 1961[1] – March 1, 1963 | |
| President | John F. Kennedy |
| Succeeded by | Brockway McMillan |
| 7th United States Under Secretary of the Air Force | |
| In office January 28, 1960 – March 1, 1963 | |
| President | Dwight D. Eisenhower John F. Kennedy |
| Preceded by | Dudley C. Sharp |
| Succeeded by | Brockway McMillan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joseph Vincent Charyk (1920-09-09)September 9, 1920 Canmore, Alberta, Canada |
| Died | September 28, 2016(2016-09-28) (aged 96) Delray Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Residence(s) | Delray Beach, Florida |
| Alma mater | University of Alberta California Institute of Technology |
| Occupation | Government official, space scientist |
Joseph Vincent Charyk (September 9, 1920 – September 28, 2016) was widely credited as the founder of the geosynchronous communications satellite industry. He was born inCanmore, Alberta to a Ukrainian family. Early in his career, Charyk consolidated theCentral Intelligence Agency,United States Air Force, andUnited States Navy space programs into theNational Reconnaissance Office (NRO). He brought the first United States imagery satellite,CORONA, into operation and demonstrated signals intelligence technology from space. During his tenure, the NRO operated theU-2 reconnaissance aircraft and managed development of theA-12.[2]
In 1980, Charyk was elevated to the grade ofIEEE fellow for leadership in the development and application of communications satellite systems.[3]
Charyk served asChief Scientist of the United States Air Force until he was appointed the Undersecretary of the Air Force. In 1961 he was appointed byPresident John F. Kennedy to be the firstDirector of the National Reconnaissance Office.[4] He later returned to aerospace industry, serving as first president ofCommunications Satellite Corporation. Charyk decided to make geosynchronous satellites the basis of the Comsat network. He fought skepticism that this untested technology would not work for voice transmission because of a half-second time delay. He also raised funds to support this new industry and enlisted the cooperation of countries around the world. His efforts launched a global system that would eventually seem commonplace to billions of people around the world. While at Comsat, Charyk served as President, CEO, and Chairman from 1963 to 1985.[5]
Charyk earned his bachelor's degree in engineering and physics from theUniversity of Alberta and his PhD in Aeronautics from theCalifornia Institute of Technology. In 1973 Charyk was inducted into theNational Academy of Sciences andNational Academy of Engineering for "basic contributions relating to space flight and leadership in development of communications satellites".[6] In 1974 he received theInternational Emmy Directorate Award for his work withCOMSAT.[7] In 1987 PresidentRonald Reagan awarded Charyk theNational Medal of Technology and Innovation "[f]or employment of the concept of the geosynchronous communications satellite systems as the basis for a global telecommunications system, established by international agreement, and for his guidance in the development and growth of the Intelsat system, which today services over 150 nations and territories".[8] Charyk died on September 28, 2016, at the age of 96.[9]
| Government offices | ||
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| Preceded by | United States Under Secretary of the Air Force January 28, 1960 – March 1, 1963 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
