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This week in 1861 – The First Transcontinental Telegraph line across the United States was completed, spelling the end for the 18-month-old Pony Express, which ceased operations just two days later.
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1946 – A camera on board the V-2 No. 13 rocket took the first photograph of earth from outer space.
1969 – The first-ever computer-to-computer link was established on ARPANET, the precursor to the Internet.
1987 – In Japan, NEC released the first 16-bit (fourth generation) video game console, the PC Engine, which was later sold in other markets, including the US, under the name TurboGrafx-16.
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And this week in 1998 – ATSC HDTV broadcasting in the United States was inaugurated with live coverage of the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery from Cape Canaveral in Florida