A satellite is an object that moves around a bigger object. The earth and the moon are satellites because the earth moves around the sun, and because the moon also moves around the earth. Many satellites come in different shapes and sizes, but the most common parts of a satellite are the antenna and a source of power. The antenna is used to give and receive information, and the power source can be a solar panel or a battery. The solar panels can make power by turning sunlight into electricity.
In space there are about 3,700 satellites. Russia has the most satellites in orbit, with 1,324. The United States have 658 satellites in orbit. There are 24 satellites in space to control GPS. The type of satellites they use for this is called the Navstar. The Navstar is a network of U.S satellites that provide the global positioning system. GPS is used for navigation by both civilians and the military. The GPS satellites …show more content…
They are put into space and they follow the same gravitational laws which govern the satellites. Although once the satellites are launched into space the artificial satellites are sent high enough in space to escape the denser parts of the atmosphere. They are put high enough into space which would slow down the orbit of the satellite and cause it to plummet to the ground. The proper height that artificial satellites are put at so that it can orbit earth indefinitely is 200 miles(320 kilometers). Ones that are placed at that altitude take at least 90 minutes to circle the earth. The reason for that is that the higher the altitude the slower the orbit of the satellites