Satellites

Satellites

What is a Satellite?

Satellite:

A satellite is an object in space that orbits or circles around a bigger object.

Multiple Choice

What is a Satellite?

• A satellite is an object in the atmosphere that orbits or circles around a bigger object.

• A satellite is an object in space that orbits or collides with a bigger object.

• A satellite is an object in space that orbits or circles around a bigger object.

• A satellite is a balloon in space that orbits or circles around a bigger object.

There are two kinds of satellites:

• natural (such as the moon orbiting the Earth) 

• artificial (such as the International Space Station orbiting the Earth)

Multiple Choice

There are two kinds of satellites

• True

• False

There are dozens upon dozens of natural satellites in the solar system, with almost every planet having at least one moon. 

Saturn, for example, has at least 53 natural satellites, and between 2004 and 2017, it also had an artificial one — the Cassini spacecraft, which explored the ringed planet and its moons.

Multiple Choice

There are dozens upon dozens of natural satellites in the solar system

• with almost every planet having at least one asteroid

• with almost every planet having at least one comet

• with almost every planet having at least one space station

• with almost every planet having at least one moon

Multiple Choice

Saturn, for example, has at least:

• 51 natural satellites

• 53 natural satellites

• 35 natural satellites

• 52 natural satellites

Artificial satellites, however, did not become a reality until the mid-20th century.

Multiple Choice

Artificial satellites, however, did not become a reality until: the mid-20th century

• the mid-20th century

• the late-20th century

• the early-20th century

• the post-20th century

The first artificial satellite was Sputnik, a Russian beach-ball-size space probe that lifted off on Oct. 4, 1957. That act shocked much of the western world, as it was believed the Soviets did not have the capability to send satellites into space

Multiple Choice

The first artificial satellite was:

• Sputnik

• The USS Enterprise

• The Jupiter 2

• Spandex

A brief history of artificial satellites:

Following that feat, on Nov. 3, 1957 the Soviets launched an even more massive satellite — Sputnik 2 — which carried a dog, Laika. The United States' first satellite was Explorer 1 on Jan. 31, 1958. The satellite was only 2 percent the mass of Sputnik 2, however, at 30 pounds (13 kg).

Multiple Choice

Sputnik 2 Carried a :

• Monkey

• Dog

• Cat

• Wolf

Multiple Choice

The first U.S Satellite was:

• Expedition 1

• Explorer 1

• Apollo 1

• Mercury 1

Parts of a satellite:

• a power system (which could be solar or nuclear, for example

• a way to control its attitude

•  an antenna to transmit and receive information

• and a payload to collect information (such as a camera or particle detector)

Multiple Choice

Which one is not one of the four main parts of a satellite?

• power system

• antenna

• payload

• passenger area

What keeps a satellite from falling to Earth?

A satellite is best understood as a projectile, or an object that has only one force acting on it — gravity.

a satellite needs to be going fast — at least 8 km (5 miles) a second — to stop from falling back down to Earth immediately.

Multiple Choice

What keeps a satellite from falling to Earth?

• Earth's curvature

• Gravity

• The ozone layer

• Pixi dust

There are several accepted "zones" of orbits around the Earth. 

•  Low-Earth-orbit

• Geostationary or geosynchronous orbit