artificial satellites
Manmade celestial objects
Artificial satellites are human-made objects placed in orbit around Earth or other celestial bodies.
They serve purposes including communication, weather observation, navigation, scientific research, and military surveillance.
The first was Sputnik, launched in 1957.
Thousands now orbit Earth: GPS relies on a constellation of artificial satellites.
Often shortened to just satellites when context is clear.
- Sputnik 1First artificial satellite
- space raceContest for orbital superiority
- solar panelsLight-converting power generators
- transpondersDevices receiving and retransmitting signals
- geostationary orbitRotation-synchronized satellite trajectory
Hubble Space Telescope · ground station · gyroscopes · polar orbit · mission control · thrusters · propulsion systems · launch vehicle · rocket launch · payloads · astronomical observation · space junk · antennas · onboard computers · elliptical orbit · International Space Station · space telescopes · remote sensing
artificial satellitesnatural satellites
Bodies orbiting planets
moons · celestial bodies · asteroids · comets · meteors
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