Satellites

what is a satellites
A satellite is an object that goes around, or orbits, a larger
object, such as a planet. While there are natural satellites, like
the Moon, hundreds of man-made satellites also orbit the
Earth.

What are the components of a satellite?

• communication capabilities with earth

• a power source
• a control system to accomplish its mission

History of Satellites

Early missions

The first artificial satellite was the Soviet pSutnik 1, launched on October 4, 1957, and
equipped with an on-board radio-transmitter that worked on two frequencies, 20.005 and
40.002 MHz. The first American satellite to relay communications was Project SCORE
in 1958, which used a tape recorder to store and forward voice messages. It was used to
send a Christmas greeting to the world from U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
NASA launched an Echo satellite in 1960; the 100-foot (30 m) aluminized PET film
balloon served as a passive reflector for radio communications. Courier 1B, built by
Philco, also launched in 1960, was the world’s first active repeater satellite.

Telstar was the first active, direct relay communications satellite. Belonging to AT&T as
part of a multi-national agreement between AT&T, Bell Telephone Laboratories, NASA,
the British General Post Office, and the French National PTT (Post Office) to develop
satellite communications, it was launched by NASA from Cape Canaveral on July 10,
1962, the first privately sponsored space launch. Telstar was placed in an elliptical orbit
(completed once every 2 hours and 37 minutes), rotating at a 45° angle above the equator.

An immediate antecedent of the geostationary satellites was Hughes’ Syncom 2, launched

on July 26, 1963. Syncom 2 revolved around the earth once per day at constant speed, but
because it still had north-south motion, special equipment was needed to track it.
 Types of Satelites
The Moon is a satellite of the earth; the earth is a satellite of the sun. The first is called a
moon, the second a planet. Man made (artificial) satellites orbit any celestial body and are
always called a satellite, whether they orbit the earth, the moon, the sun or any other
celestial body.

Communications Satellites

Distribution of television and audio signals, and telephone connections via satellite are
done by Communications Satellites. These types of communications typically need a
satellite in geostationary orbit. In 1964 the US Department of Defense launched the first
satellite that was placed in geostationary orbit. This satellite was named Syncom 3.

Today geostationary satellites are used to provide voice, audio and video communications
like satellite TV by Dish Network Satellite.

Navigation Satellites

These satellites were of enormous help to transportation companies, especially

transportation over water and through the air. The US GPS satellites are in Low Earth
Orbit (LEO) and can determine position with a precision of 1 cm (0.4 inch). However,
that very precise positioning is available for military purposes only. For commercial use
the precision is less accurate

Weather Satellites

Observing the earth is the task for weather satellites, and then especially what happens in
the atmosphere. Different kinds of cameras, like infrared and normal cameras are used to
observe either the same part of the earth, from a geostationary orbit, or more closely from
polar orbits to get more detailed pictures. These low orbit weather satellites focus more
on the study of the atmosphere than on the current weather it self.

Military Satellites

Very similar to weather satellites, military satellites are also used for observing the earth.
Generally with higher resolution cameras and instead of normal communications
equipment, they use encryption as well. Sometimes these types of satellites have very
different types of orbits. For instance a very elliptical orbit which brings the satellite as
far away from the earth as the moon and as close to the earth that it shortly enters the
atmosphere, to get as close as possible to the earth surface without falling back to earth.
 How is a satelite launched into orbit

All satellites today get into orbit by riding on a rocket or by riding in the cargo bay of the
Space Shuttle. Several countries and businesses have rocket launch capabilities, and
satellites as large as several tons make it safely into orbit on a regular basis.

For most satellite launches, the scheduled launch rocket is aimed straight up at first. This
gets the rocket through the thickest part of the atmosphere most quickly and best
minimizes fuel consumption.

After a rocket launches straight up, the rocket control mechanism uses the inertial
guidance system to calculate necessary adjustments to the rocket's nozzles to tilt the
rocket to the course described in the flight plan. In most cases, the flight plan calls for
the rocket to head east because Earth rotates to the east, giving the launch vehicle a free
boost. The strength of this boost depends on the rotational velocity of Earth at the launch
location. The boost is greatest at the equator, where the distance around Earth is greatest
and so rotation is fastest