An Artificial Satellite is a people-made machine that orbits a variety of other objects in space. Many Artificial Satellites orbit the Earth to gather information about the universe, to predict the weather, to help with the navigation of ships and planes, to assist in telephone calls over the ocean, to observe the Earth, and as a tool to improve military activities. Though Artificial Satellites have mostly orbited Earth, some have orbited the moon, the sun, asteroids, Venus, Mars and Jupiter; these satellites mostly study the body around which they're orbiting. As a satellite is any object that orbits another, Artificial Satellites are people-made.
Natural satellites include the moon around the Earth and the Earth around the Sun.Functions of Artificial Satellites:There are many different types of Artificial Satellites, each having a distinct job. Some Artificial Satellites help to predict the weather, while others gather information about our universe for NASA and other organizations. In addition, some Artificial Satellites help to connect people worldwide by assisting in telephone calls over the ocean; some Artificial Satellites help to navigate ships and planes. Furthermore, Artificial Satellites help to improve military activities, while others observe the Earth.
The types of Artificial Satellites are commonly referred to as:Astronomical satellites:Satellites used to observe distant planets, galaxies, and other outer space objects.Communications satellites:Satellites used to assist in telecommunication. Most communications satellites use geosynchronous orbits (orbits having the same length of time needed to complete one orbit as Earth) or near-geostationary orbits (circular orbits above Earth's equator). These satellites are largely responsible for the transmission of television and radio signals.
Earth observation satellites:Satellites made to observe Earth from its orbit for uses environmental, weather, and map making.Navigation satellites:Satellites that use radios to determine the exact location of a mobile person. And also used especially to help in the navigation of ships and planes.Killer Satellites/Anti-Satellite Weapons:Satellites built to demolish "enemy" satellites and orbital weapons and targets.Reconnaissance satellites:Satellites used to get military intelligence. Little is known about these satellites, as their uses and information extracted by them are top-secret.
Solar power satellites:These are proposed satellites that would convert the sun's energy into power. A Solar power satellite would collect the sun's energy which would then be converted into electricity, and eventually, microwaves. This satellite, proposed by Peter Glaser of Arthur D. Little Company to be set in a geostationary orbit, would provide a clean and inexhaustible power source. NASA's design would consist of a 3 x 6 mile rectangular solar collector and a .
6 mile diameter circular transmitting antenna array. The design was developed in the 1970s, during the oil crisis. Think - sunlight is eight times more abundant to a satellite in space than it is on Earth! That means a lot of energy from the sun!Weather satellites:Satellites used to monitor the weather and climate of the Earth.Biosatellites:These are satellites designed to carry living organisms into outer space, especially for scientific experimentation.
The first biosatellite was Sputnik II, carrying a Russian Space dog named Laika into space. Although Laika died from overheating and stress, her journey into space paved the way for humans going into space. Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space during a one-orbit mission on April 12, 1961. Gagarin's rocket was called Vostok I.
Alan Shepard was the first American man in space in 1961, and Sally Ride was the first American woman in space in 1983.International Space Station:The International Space Station is a project funded by NASA, the Russian Federal Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Canadian Space Agency, and the European Space Agency. The International Space Station (ISS) orbits at an altitude of 220 miles, known as a low Earth orbit. Its orbital period is 92 minutes; thus, by June 2005, the ISS had made 37,500 orbits since November 20, 1998 (the date of the launch of the first module put into the ISS). The ISS weighs 404,069 pounds, has a habitable volume of 15,000 cubic feet, and the dimensions are 240 feet across the solar arrays, with a height of 90 feet.
Due to this incredible machine, there is always human presence in space. Recently in the ISS, the crew of the 13th Expedition was experimenting in the ISS. In addition, the ISS offers so much potential for the future.Hubble Space Telescope (HST):Another significant Artificial Satellite is the Hubble Space Telescope (HST).
The HST is a telescope in orbit around the Earth. The HST orbits just outside the Earth's atmosphere, which allows it to take sharp pictures of faint objects in space. Data accumulated from September 3rd, 2003 to January 16th, 2004 provided the deepest astronomical optical image ever taken. The Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF) is an image of a small area of space -- the deepest image of the universe ever taken in visible light.
This picture looks back about 13 billion years and it is estimated that the area photographed contains 10,000 galaxies. This and other data collected by the HST are essential to the understanding of our universe.
