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Satellites & Orbits
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Anything in orbit around another object can be called a satellite. The Moon, for example, is a natural satellite of Earth. Since 1957, hundreds of artificial satellites have been launched into orbit around the Earth. They come in many shapes and sizes and occupy different types of orbits, depending on what they are designed to do. Many communications satellites occupy geostationary orbit, for example, while many weather satellites are in polar orbit. Whichever orbit they follow, satellites must remain stable so that their instruments always point in the right direction.
TYPES OF ORBITS
Most satellites are launched into one of these four main orbits:
Low-Earth Orbits - A nearly circular orbit that is up to about 250 km above Earth.
Polar Orbits - Often 800 km high.
Highly Elliptical Orbits - Has a much lower altitude at it's closest approach to Earth (its perigee) than when it is most distant (its apogee).
Geostationary Orbits - Is 36,000 km above the equator.
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WHAT'S INSIDE
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Communication |
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Low-Earth, Geostationary, and Highly Elliptical Orbits. Learn how these satellites bring telephone, television broadcast, and soon internet services to billions of people!
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Navigation |
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Geostationary and Polar Orbits. Click here to find out how these satellites work and what kind of information they provide us.
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Meteorology |
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Polar Orbit. Come here to see how these satellites send back detailed information about our ever-changing weather systems!
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Military |
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Low-Earth Orbit. Many of the earliest satellites were developed by the US and Soviet Union military! Click here to see just what they use them for.
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