Satellites Physics Coursework

Authors Avatar

Satellites

Question 1:

The first artificial satellite was launched on the 4th of October 19 57 by the Soviet Union, its name was the Sputnik 1 and its launch sparked the “Space Race” as other countries now felt under pressure to launch there own satellites. It was used to measure the upper atmospheric layer’s density but also helped in monitoring radio signals in the ionosphere. After the launch of Sputnik 1 there were many other launches following shortly after that, the USA following closely to their rivals, as the launch was during the Cold War.

Question 2:

There are many artificial satellites in orbit around both the Earth and the Moon, but one of the more famous ones is the Syncom 3, launched on August 19th 1964, it is better known because it was the first geostationary orbiting satellites, as well as the first satellite to broadcast a television program across the Pacific Ocean. Its function, as stated, was used to broadcast television, it was also the satellite which telecasted the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo on only its first year of orbit. Another more famous satellite is the TIROS-1, considered the first successful weather satellite, it was launched on the 1st of April 1960, and had an almost circular orbit around the Earth. In its 78 days of orbit it took 22,952 images, which was extremely successful as it gave a very good view at how the weather changes from above, and was a great help in the development of other weather satellites and the way in which the weather was read.

Join now!

Question 3:

Firstly geostationary orbits, geostationary orbits are when a satellite is placed on the equator with latitude 0 degrees, and orbit at the equal speed of the Earths rotation. So from the Earth it looks like the satellite remains in the same place, and does not move, the only thing that differs between geostationary satellites is there longitude. Geostationary satellites would be used for things like television and radio transmitting. Where as with a polar orbit it is quite the opposite, polar orbiting satellites are at an inclination of 90 degrees from the equator, and have an orbital ...

This is a preview of the whole essay