Ascension Island a staging point by the British military during the Falklands War. Ascension Island hosts one of four ground antennas (others are on Kwajalein Island, Diego Garcia, and Cape Canaveral) that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigational system. NASA operates a Meter Class Autonomous Telescope (MCAT) on Ascension Island for tracking orbital debris, which is potentially hazardous to operating spacecraft and astronauts, at a facility called the John Africano NASA/AFRL Orbital Debris Observatory. In 1501, the Portuguese navigator Afonso de Albuquerque sighted the island on Ascension Day (which fell on 21 May that year) and named
Afonso Sanches, Lord of Albuquerque Afonso Sanches, Lord of Albuquerque Afonso Sanches, Lord of Albuquerque (1289-1329; also known as Alfonso Sanches) was a Medieval nobleman, Lord of Cerva and Alburquerque. Born in Portugal, he was the firstborn and favorite son of King Denis of Portugal and Aldonça Rodrigues Talha. Afonso was married to Teresa Martins Telo, daughter of João Afonso Telo, the first count of Barcelos, and of Teresa Sánchez, an illegitimate daughter of Sancho IV the Brave, king of Castile and León.. He was the half brother of Afonso IV. They were the parents of João Afonso de Albuquerque. Afonso and his wife Teresa