Surface-barrier transistor
Philco used a patented process of applying two tiny electrochemical jet streams of liquid indium sulfate (electrolyte solution) on opposite sides of a thin strip of N-type germanium base material.
[14][15][16][17] On January 31, 1958, the United States first artificial Earth satellite was launched by the Army Ballistic Missile Agency at Cape Canaveral in Florida, which was called Explorer 1, and was developed by the California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
Philco developed and produced a miniature transistorized computer called the "Transac" (models C-1000 and C-1100), for the Navy's jet fighter planes in 1955.
[19][20][21][22] In 1955, MIT's Lincoln Laboratory researchers started to design and build the first transistorized general purpose programmable 18-bit computer, called the "TX-0."
It was an experimental computer, used to test transistor logic circuitry and large capacity magnetic-core memory, and was completed and operational in April 1956.
MIT's Lincoln Laboratory commenced the design and construction of a large-scale transistorized programmable 36-bit general purpose computer in 1957, which was called the "TX-2."
[23][24][25][26][27] In June 1955, Philco was awarded a contract with the National Security Agency to build a transistorized scientific computer, which was named the "SOLO".
[28][29] During 1955–56, Ferranti Canada was in charge of miniaturizing the Royal Canadian Navy's DATAR (Digital Automatic Tracking and Resolving) seaborne tactical data defense computer.
[38] In 1957, Univac built a transistorized ground guidance Athena computer, for the United States Air Force's Titan 1 intercontinental ballistic missile defense system (ICBM).
[39][40] In March 1958, Univac built and delivered a transistorized 30-bit AN/USQ-17 computer, for the United States Navy Tactical Data System (NTDS).
