satellites articles
Do satellites require propulsion?
The necessity of propulsion for an orbiting object is not always intuitive; after all, once a satellite is launched, it ...
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?
The region we call Low Earth Orbit, or LEO, is currently the busiest highway in space, densely populated with functionin...
Why did I just see a line of stars moving?
That sudden appearance of a perfectly straight, evenly spaced line of bright dots marching silently across the dark sky ...
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?
The sight of a satellite fragmenting high above the Earth often captures public attention, raising immediate questions a...
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...
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?
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?
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?
The sight of a string of bright, moving lights cutting silently across the night sky has become an increasingly common o...
What objects are launched into space?
The sheer volume and variety of material humans have lofted beyond Earth’s atmosphere is staggering, a testament to our ...
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?
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?
The simple question of how many geostationary satellites are needed to blanket the Earth reveals a fascinating interplay...
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...
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...
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...
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 ...