File:Two_3U_CubeSats.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
artificial satellite
Also known as artificial moon, space satellite
300px|thumb|upright=1.5|alt=Two 3U CubeSats|Two CubeSats orbiting around [[Earth after being deployed from the ISS Kibō module's Small Satellite Orbital Deployer]]
AI overview
An artificial satellite is a human-made object launched into space that orbits Earth or other celestial bodies. Satellites matter because they enable critical services like weather forecasting, GPS navigation, telecommunications, and scientific research about our planet and universe.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Luna 1 - 2 Spacecraft.png
Show 3 more facts
- Unicode character
- 🛰
- Commons category
- Satellites
- time of discovery or invention
- 1957-10-04
via Wikidata · CC0
~28 min read
Article
35 sectionsContents
- History
- Early proposals
- First satellites
- Later Satellite Development
- Components
- Orbit and altitude control
- Power
- Applications
- Earth observation
- Communication
- Spy satellites
- Navigation
- Telescope
- Experimental
- Weapon
- Environmental impact
- Resource use
- Launches
- Operational
- Low earth orbit satellites
- Night sky
- Ground-based infrastructure
- Degeneration
- Mitigation
- Interference
- Collision threat
- Radio interference
- Regulation
- Liability
- Operation
- List
- See also
- Notes
- References
- External links
300px|thumb|upright=1.5|alt=Two 3U CubeSats|Two CubeSats orbiting around [[Earth after being deployed from the ISS Kibō module's Small Satellite Orbital Deployer]]
A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation (GPS), broadcasting, scientific research, and Earth observation. Additional military uses are reconnaissance, early warning, signals intelligence and, potentially, weapon delivery. Other satellites include the final rocket stages that place satellites in orbit and formerly useful satellites that later become defunct.