Dale.Amon%CMU-RI-FAS@sri-unix.UUCP (04/02/84)
The tests in question occured sometime between 1960 and 1963, most likely in late 1962. They were launched from Johnston Island in the Pacific. If anyone feels like digging, there was a Life magazine pictorial about it around the time of occurence. Also, although most satellites do indeed orbit in the same clocksense, there is still a velocity vector difference due to angular differences in the orbital planes of up to 90 degrees. Although collisions are not terribly likely, they are a consideration. NORAD has each and every piece of garbage tagged and plugged into it's computers so that such occurences will not occur during the useful life of a new satellite. (The database includes a glove and a Hasselblad camera, if they haven't re-entered yet)