Phone celebrity launched into orbit in the early 1960s (7)

I believe the answer is:

telstar

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'launched into orbit in the early 1960s' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'phone celebrity' is the wordplay.
'phone' becomes 'tel' (short for telephone).
'celebrity' becomes 'star' (a star is a celebrity or famous person).
'tel'+'star'='TELSTAR'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for telstar that I've seen before include "Communication satellite" , "Distant transmitter" , "Communications satellite" , "Old satellite" , "Early sixties satellite" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.

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