Three of the many functions that satellites do for us are as celestial compasses guiding us home, eyes in the sky, and space mirrors bouncing phone calls around Earth. On a clear blue day, you may be able to see vapor trails left by a jet or two as you look through the clouds. However, it is improbable that you will be able to witness the thousands of painstakingly designed satellites, some the size of your hand and some the size of trucks, whirling in orbit far above your head.
A satellite doesn't always have to resemble a tin can circling the universe. That is not the only meaning of the word "satellite"; it also refers to a smaller, space-based object that revolves around a larger object in an orbit. For instance, the Moon is a naturally occurring satellite of Earth since gravity keeps it in its orbit around our planet. What we commonly refer to as satellites are actually tin cans, which are artificial satellites created by humans that orbit the Earth on carefully planned circular or elliptical (oval) orbits at different distances from the planet, typically well outside of its atmosphere.
Satellites are typically grouped either by the functions they perform or by the orbits they travel. Nonetheless, these two concepts are intimately related because a satellite's mission often dictates its minimum orbital distance, velocity, and separation from Earth. Satellites are used for three primary purposes: Communications Scientific surveying, imaging, and photography
The NOAA satellites, which orbit the Earth hundreds of times a year at amazing speeds, use a variety of sophisticated sensors and devices to collect extremely precise data of Earth and the space environment.
In order to remain in orbit, a satellite must strike a balance between its velocity and the gravitational attraction of the object it is orbiting. It needs extensive engineering training and thorough understanding of physics to achieve this balance.
With a push that defies gravity, massive rockets propel satellites into orbit. These speed up to twenty-five thousand miles per hour! Rockets would release the satellite into space at these exact trajectories, placing it in an orbit that it would eventually follow. For hundreds of years, the satellite can remain in orbit thanks to the initial velocity that the rocket launch gave.
Satellites can't be simply serviced or fixed like some of your other home appliances, and that's not how they were intended to be! Because the production and launch costs of satellites are very high, great care must be taken to limit the need for repairs once they are in orbit. The majority of satellites are decommissioned and eventually cease to function when they malfunction or run out of fuel.
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