Satellites

What is a Satellite?

A satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Satellites are propelled by rockets to their orbits. Usually, the launch vehicle itself is a rocket lifting off from a launch pad on land. Satellites are usually semi-independent computer control systems.

A satellite is an object located in outer space that orbits around a planet which is sometimes called an artificial satellite to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the moon, which moves around the sun.

_{Sputnik 1.}

The world’s first artificial satellite, the Sputnik 1 was launched by the Soviet Union (USSR) on October 4, 1957. Since then, thousands of satellites have been launched into orbit around the earth. Some satellites notably space stations have been launched in parts and assembled in orbit. Artificial satellites originate from more than 50 countries and have used the satellite launching capabilities of ten nations.

A few space probes have been placed into orbit around other bodies and become artificial satellites to the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, etc

Sputnik 2 was launched on November 3^rd, 1957 and carried the first living passenger into orbit.

The United States Space Surveillance Network (SSN), a division of the United States Strategic Command, has been tracking objects in Earth’s Orbit since 1957 when the Soviet Union opened the space age with the launch of Sputnik 1. Since then, the SSN has tracked more than 26,000 objects.