Collins Radio Company

Rockwell Collins History (Collins Radio Company)

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Since its founding as Collins Radio in 1933, Rockwell Collins and its products have been recognized for distinctive quality and state-of-the-art technology. Collins Radio Company, founded by Arthur Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, initially designed and produced short wave radio equipment. The company steadily grew, and captured the world's attention when Collins supplied the equipment to establish a communications link with the South Pole expedition of Rear Admiral Richard Byrd in 1933.

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During the next three decades, Collins continued to expand its work in all phases of the communications field while broadening its technology thrust into numerous other disciplines. New developments such as flight control instruments, radio communication devices and satellite voice transmissions created great opportunities in the marketplace. Collins Radio Company provided communications in America's space program, including equipment for astronauts to communicate with earth stations and equipment to track and communicate with spacecraft. Collins communications equipment was used for the Apollo, Gemini and Mercury programs, providing voice communication for every American astronaut traveling through space. In 1973, the U.S. Skylab Program used Collins equipment to provide communication from the astronauts to earth.

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