satellite system articles

What is the full operational capability of Galileo?

What is the full operational capability of Galileo?

The European Union’s Galileo satellite navigation system represents a significant step in global Positioning, Navigation...

Do satellites require propulsion?

Do satellites require propulsion?

The necessity of propulsion for an orbiting object is not always intuitive; after all, once a satellite is launched, it ...

How many habitable planets are there in our solar system?

How many habitable planets are there in our solar system?

When we gaze up at the night sky from Earth, the question of how many other worlds in our local neighborhood might suppo...

What makes satellites orbit the Earth?

What makes satellites orbit the Earth?

The simple visual of a machine circling our world often conjures the question of how it manages to hang suspended in the...

Are there satellites in low Earth orbit?

Are there satellites in low Earth orbit?

The region we call Low Earth Orbit, or LEO, is currently the busiest highway in space, densely populated with functionin...

What is the astronomical system of units CSS?

What is the astronomical system of units CSS?

The immense span of the cosmos renders everyday measurements like kilometers and miles laughably small, akin to using mi...

Why was the Indian satellite launched by SpaceX?

Why was the Indian satellite launched by SpaceX?

The sight of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ascending from Cape Canaveral carrying a satellite destined for Indian interests m...

What happens to broken Starlink satellites?

What happens to broken Starlink satellites?

The appearance of a bright streak in the night sky that isn't a meteor is often a sign that something unusual is happeni...

What happens when Starlink satellites fall?

What happens when Starlink satellites fall?

The sight of a satellite fragmenting high above the Earth often captures public attention, raising immediate questions a...

Do Starlink satellites have a lifespan?

Do Starlink satellites have a lifespan?

The operational tenure of a Starlink satellite is not a single, fixed number etched in stone; rather, it’s a target dict...

Does every solar system have a Goldilocks zone?

Does every solar system have a Goldilocks zone?

The simple answer to whether every star system possesses a Goldilocks Zone is complex, leaning toward "no," depending on...

Has a satellite ever been hit by a meteor?

Has a satellite ever been hit by a meteor?

The question of whether satellites have been struck by natural space rocks—meteoroids—is one that often surfaces when we...

How often do Starlink satellites fall to Earth?

How often do Starlink satellites fall to Earth?

The frequency with which SpaceX's Starlink satellites descend from orbit and burn up in the Earth's atmosphere is a topi...

Why don't meteors hit satellites?

Why don't meteors hit satellites?

It is easy to imagine a satellite, hanging silently in the black vacuum above, suddenly being vaporized by a stray rock ...

What is a string of satellites called?

What is a string of satellites called?

When people look up into the night sky and see a distinct, slow-moving line of bright lights, sometimes described as a c...

Is there a chain of satellites?

Is there a chain of satellites?

The sight of a string of bright, moving lights cutting silently across the night sky has become an increasingly common o...

What happens to the rocket after it releases the satellite?

What happens to the rocket after it releases the satellite?

The moment a satellite separates from its launch vehicle marks the culmination of years of engineering, yet it’s merely ...

How many LEO satellites for global coverage?

How many LEO satellites for global coverage?

The scale of hardware being placed into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to achieve truly global connectivity is perhaps the most s...

How many LEO satellites does Globalstar have?

How many LEO satellites does Globalstar have?

The Globalstar Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation is a fascinating subject, often discussed in terms of its service cap...

How many geostationary satellites are required for global coverage?

How many geostationary satellites are required for global coverage?

The simple question of how many geostationary satellites are needed to blanket the Earth reveals a fascinating interplay...

Is the solar system in the disk of the Milky Way?

Is the solar system in the disk of the Milky Way?

The structure we call home, the Solar System, resides deep within the flattened component of our home galaxy, the Milky ...

What is the astronomical system of unit?

What is the astronomical system of unit?

The sheer scale of space necessitates special ways of thinking about distance, far beyond the simple miles or kilometers...

Is our Solar System in the Sagittarius Arm?

Is our Solar System in the Sagittarius Arm?

The question of exactly where our Sun and its planetary entourage reside within the vast expanse of the Milky Way galaxy...

What planets have we crashed satellites into?

What planets have we crashed satellites into?

The act of sending an artificial object toward another world often culminates in a planned or unplanned collision, a fin...