Satellites :: essays research papers

Satellites orbit the earth doing our bidding in waysthat enrich the lives of almost all of us. Throughelectronic eyeball from hundreds of miles overhead,they lead prospectors to mineral deposits invisbleon earths surface. Relaying communications at thespeed of light, they shrivel the planet until its mostdistant people are unless a split second apart. Theybeam world weather to our living way TV andguide ships through storms. Swooping low overareas of possible hostility, spies in the sky maintaina surveillance that helps keep peace in a volatileworld. How many objects, exaclty, are orbitingout there? Todays expect is 4,914. The satellitesbegin with a launch, which in the U.S. takes placeat Cape Canaveral in Florida, NASAs WallopsFlight Center in Virginia, or, for polar orbiters,Vandenberg Air Force miserly in California. Onesatellite in 20 is crippled by the jolt of lift-off, ordies in the inferno of a defective rocket salad blast, or isthrust into improper orbit. A few simply melt intothe immensity of space. When a satellite emergesfrom the rockets protective shroud, radiotelemetyregularly reports on its wellness to round-the-clockcrews of ground controllers. They watch over thetemperatures and voltages of the crafts electronicnervous scheme and other vital "organs", alwayscritical with machines whose sunninessward side whitethorn be300 degress hotter than the shaded part. Once asatellite achieves orbit--that delicate precondition inwhich the pull of earths gravity is matched by theoutward fling of the foliate 2 ------ craftsspeed--subtle pressures make it go astray. Solarflares make the satellite go out of orbit. Wisps ofouter atmosphere drag its speed. Like strands ofspiderweb, gravity feilds of the earth, moon, andsun tug at the orbiting spacefarer. Even thesunshines soft caress exerts a well-situated nudge.Should a satellite begin to wander, ground crewsfire small force out jets that steer it back on course. Thisis done sparingly, for e xhaustion of these gasesends a crafts usable career. Under such stresses,many satellites last 2 years. When death is only asecond away, controllers may command the craftto jump into a high orbit, so it will move up awayfrom earth, retention orbital paths from becomingtoo cluttered. Others become ensnarled in the