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You are not the only one who has pondered the subject of how satellites maintain their orbits and do not fall out of the sky at random intervals; in fact, you are not even close to being the only person who has done so. It would appear that this is one of the most frequently voiced concerns that people have regarding the functioning of satellites.
How Do Satellites Maintain Their Position In Orbit?
Because their orbital speeds are locked at a range that is high enough to offset the influence that gravity has on their motion, satellites are able to go around the earth without being affected by its gravitational pull. In order to effectively send satellites into space, a rocket that is launched from the ground needs to have enough energy (at least 25,039 mph!) to travel outside of our planet’s atmosphere before it can achieve escape velocity. The satellite will be placed into orbit around the Earth once the rocket has arrived at its final destination. If the satellite is able to maintain its original speed after it has separated from the launch vehicle, it will be able to remain in orbit for a period of time that is measured in hundreds of years rather than decades.
Both the satellite’s velocity (the rate at which it moves in a straight line) and the gravitational pull that the Earth exerts on the satellite must be maintained in appropriate proportions for the satellite to be able to maintain a stable orbit around the Earth. A satellite that is in an orbit that is closer to Earth needs a higher velocity in order to counteract the increased gravitational attraction that it is experiencing as a result of its closer proximity to the planet.
Satellites do have their own supply of fuel on board, but in contrast to a car, they do not need to use it in order to maintain a steady speed in order to continue travelling around orbit. This manoeuvre is only carried out when it is absolutely required, such as when altering an orbit or attempting to prevent a collision with debris.
Why Don’t Satellites Collide If They Are Located So Near To One Another?
In point of fact, they are capable of doing so. NOAA and NASA are among the several organisations from the United States and throughout the world that are responsible for monitoring the activities of satellites in space. When a satellite is sent into space, it is inserted into an orbit that has been calculated with the express purpose of avoiding a head-on collision with other satellites. Because of this, accidents involving vehicles are extremely rare. Orbits, on the other hand, are liable to change over the course of time. Additionally, the number of satellites that are being launched into space continues to increase, which raises the risk of a collision occurring more frequently.
In February of 2009, a communications satellite from the United States and one from Russia were involved in a collision in orbit. On the other side, it is believed that this is the first time that two satellites constructed by humans have accidentally collided with one another. Both satellites were created by the same person.
The DSCOVR spacecraft, which is operated by NOAA and is the first fully operational deep space satellite for the United States, is now in an orbit that is one million miles from Earth. Its position between the sun and the Earth enables it to maintain a steady view of both the sun and the side of the Earth that is illuminated by the sun at all times. This particular location is referred to as Lagrange point 1, and it can be found here. (The corners of the illustration have been rounded)
How Long Can Satellites Stay in Orbit?
While a satellite is in orbit, it is possible for it to continue functioning normally for significantly longer periods of time. For instance, the NOAA GOES-3 Satellite had a service life that covered not one, not two, but five different decades and the administrations of six different United States presidents in succession.
After its launch into orbit on June 16, 1978, the GOES-3 spacecraft became the third Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) to be managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). GOES stands for “Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite” (NOAA). One of the oldest continuously working satellites in orbit, GOES-3, made history in 2016 when it reached the end of its operational life and was meticulously placed into a “graveyard” orbit on June 29. After 38 years and a second life as a communications satellite, GOES-3 completed the decommissioning procedure. This signified the end of the decommissioning procedure that had been going on. GOES-3 is one of the satellites in orbit that has been operational nonstop for the longest amount of time.
This orbit does not require a significant amount of velocity in order to maintain its current place because it is situated at such a huge distance from the Earth. This is due to the fact that the gravitational attraction of the Earth weakens with increasing distance from the planet. When satellites get closer to Earth, there is a greater probability that they may come into touch with traces of the planet’s atmosphere, which results in increased resistance. This is because the resistance is proportional to the distance between the satellite and the atmosphere. Because of the drag, the orbit of the satellite is deteriorating, which takes it closer to the surface of the planet.
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