ABOUT THE AUTHOR

​Robert M. Patterson is a visionary entrepreneur whose pioneering work helped shape the modern satellite communications and broadcasting industries.  Over a distinguished five-decade career, he transformed bold ideas into groundbreaking innovations that forever changed how the world experiences live sports, breaking news and global events.​

 

His journey began in 1969 with a subsidiary of Hughes Aircraft Company—the builder of the satellites that delivered the Apollo 11 Moon landing to a global audience.  Inspired by that historic broadcast, Patterson committed his career to advancing satellite technology— not merely following its evolution, but leading it.

 

In 1975, Patterson orchestrated the first-ever live, multi-carrier television broadcast via domestic satellite in the United States—a groundbreaking achievement that laid the foundation for modern live broadcasting. That same year, he made history again by enabling the first satellite transmissions of regular-season MLB, NHL, and NBA games and arranging the first daily satellite news distribution service for independent television stations nationwide.

 

Years ahead of the digital revolution, Patterson demonstrated in 1978 that two digital signals could be transmitted simultaneously over a single satellite channel—a pioneering breakthrough first unveiled to Alaska’s state legislators, offering a glimpse of the future in digital distribution. 

 

In the broadcasting world, Patterson was instrumental in delivering some of the most-watched events in television history.  He arranged the satellite distribution of the landmark Frost/Nixon interviews, the most-viewed TV interview series ever aired; coordinated coverage of the Holmes vs. Cooney heavyweight title fight, one of the era’s largest pay-per-view events; and secured global transmission rights for the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, enabling 24/7 coverage watched by over a billion people.​

 

As founder of The SPACECONNECTION, Inc., Patterson built one of the industry's premier satellite transmission and uplink companies, serving broadcasters, corporations, government agencies, educational institutions and entertainment networks worldwide.​

 

Among his many innovations, he facilitated the world’s first international satellite transmission of High-Definition Television (HDTV), followed by the first domestic HDTV broadcast in the U.S.—milestones that revolutionized a new standard of sharpness and clarity in TV broadcasting.

 

He also played a crucial role in delivering major global events, including the Reagan-Gorbachev summits, the fall of the Berlin Wall and Operation Desert Storm, as well as key NASA missions such as Space Shuttle flights, “Live from Mars,” and John Glenn’s return to space.

 

In association with SPACECONNECTION’s partner company Mobile Satellite Connection, Patterson spearheaded the initiative of the first transportable uplink units capable of transmitting both analog and digitally compressed SD and HDTV signals via compact 2.4-meter antennas.  Operating in both C-Band and Ku-Band, redefining mobile TV versatility.

 

In 2004, he sold SPACECONNECTION to Telesat, Canada’s leading satellite operator.

 

A native of Queens, New York, Patterson earned a B.A. from Franklin Pierce University, where he later served on the Board of Trustees.  In 2002, the university honored him by naming its television facility the Patterson Broadcasting Studios.  He also holds an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University, where he was named “Top Entrepreneur” by his graduating class.