The Hughes Aircraft Company was originally established by the American aviator and industrialist. Howard Hughes founded the Hughes Aircraft Company in 1932 as a division of his father's Hughes Tool Company. Initially, the company focused on producing aircraft and aircraft components, but over time, it diversified into other areas such as satellite and missile systems, electronic systems, and even television and movie production. The company played a significant role in the aerospace industry, with notable achievements including the development of the first geosynchronous satellite and the first laser rangefinder. The Hughes Aircraft Company was eventually sold to General Motors in 1985, and it has since been merged with other companies and has restructured in 2017 by Meridican Capital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.