Space Exploration Stack Exchange
Space Exploration Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [artificial-satellite]

Questions about objects in orbit which are human made, such as communications and GPS satellites, orbital observatories and space stations, and other man-made object in permanent or semi-permanent orbits around the Earth, other celestial objects, aside from the Sun, or even other satellites. Not to be confused with non-orbited man-made objects in space, that are usually referred to as "probes", or simply "spacecraft".

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What is the oldest artificial satellite still in use?

Wikipedia states that Vanguard I is the oldest artificial satellite still in orbit. What is the oldest that's still in use?
Don Branson
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How many satellites are orbiting the earth?

Today I saw this picture: Is this true? I have no idea how many satellites there are orbiting earth, but I do know that we have sent quite a few of them. So, is it known how many satellites we have orbiting the earth right know? (I guess there must…
Shevliaskovic
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Why are photos of satellites most often computer generated?

I like looking at photos of stuff in earths orbit. But when I google satellites I often get a lot of nice but not as exciting CGI. I understand it might be hard (but not impossible) for a satellite to take a photo of itself. Surely it can't be that…
blarg
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Do companies/governments ever sell satellites that are already in space?

Do companies/governments ever sell satellites that are already in space to other companies/governments for use? I'm wondering about the sale of the actual physical satellites. Has it ever happened? Is it at all common?
duzzy
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Could a satellite survive for thousands of years in a high enough orbit?

Let's suppose that an advanced alien civilization explored the Earth hundreds of thousands of years ago and then left a satellite in a high orbit, say of a radius of 100.000 km. Could such a satellite survive for that very long time, so that…
xxavier
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Have there ever been any Satellites that were hacked, is that a possibility?

Have there ever been any Satellites that were hacked by a rogue nation or hacker groups, if not is it possible to accomplish such a task? Hack a satellite and take control of it.
Ashwin
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Commercial satellite retrieval - possible?

I know that the space shuttle was originally designed with the capability to retrieve satellites from space, but I'm wondering if in the commercial market right now if there are services that allow the retrieval? I've seen companies that do space…
logos_164
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Satellite launched, but in storage?

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_TDRS_satellites TDRS-C and TDRS-E were launched, but are "in storage". The citation (https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/services/networks/txt_tdrs_fleet.html) redirects to a page which…
RonJohn
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Is SOHO a satellite of the Sun or of the Earth?

Those artificial satellites placed in the Lagrange points, like SOHO, are they orbiting the Sun or the Earth? Or is it a satellite of both?
Joe Jobs
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How can the optimal number of satellites in an orbital plane be determined?

How can the optimal number of satellites be determined for a plane of satellites? Specifically, I would like to see how to do this in general, and a specific example worked out, such as the following: Altitude - 780 km Horizon - 5 degrees Overlap -…
PearsonArtPhoto
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At which speed and angle should satellite be to orbit in longitude line?

At which speed and angle should satellite be to orbit in a longitude line (on Greenwich line, for example) ? most satellites I know move in latitude lines (equator line), or just a part of longitude line
huab
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How to calculate the force required to maintain a 10 km diameter disc in a low 80 km orbit?

What force (in the form of periodic impulses) is required for thrusters (thermochemical, electrical, electromagnetic, ionic. Photonics, Hall) to keep such a disk in orbit (80 km) above a fixed point above Earth. To counteract gravitational force.…
Ion Corbu
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What influence did Arthur C. Clarke have on early satellite development?

Partially inspired by this uhoh question on SciFi.SE In writing up my answer, I came across this interview Clarke gave to NPR in 2008 where this quote is made While Clarke came up with the idea of the communications satellite, it was John Pierce of…
Machavity
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How does network routing work between satellites in constellations?

When it comes to large satellite networks, do each satellite work like routers in terrestrial networks, or is the 'routing' portion done on the earth side to pick correct satellites to jump to?
CBredlow
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How long does it take for ISS to travel over all possible places of the world one time?

ISS has an inclination of about 56 degrees but because his orbit is not exactly a whole part of 24 hours, ISS will the next day be above other places. So after a while he has 'visited' most of the planet (exept north and south pole) but how long…
Marijn
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