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No. An object stays in orbit simply by a balance of its existing speed tangent to its direction of fall and a constant rate of falling toward whatever it orbits.
Because space, particularly near the Earth, is not a perfect vacuum, there is a certain amount of friction and the orbit of satellites in low orbits does decay over time. For this reason, some satellites do have rocket motors to periodically boost their orbit back up to where it's supposed to be.
The Hubble Space Telescope will soon need to be either "re-orbited" (pushed into a higher orbit) or "de-orbited" (pushed into a controlled reentry) because of this. The alternative is to do nothing, in which case it will eventually re-enter on its own, but that's dangerous since it's much harder to predict where it will come down in that case and pieces might very well hit a populated area. With small satellites this is less of a problem, but the Hubble is fairly large and it's likely that some parts of it may survive re-entry and impact the ground instead of burning up entirely in the atmosphere as a meteor. In the past we've used the Space Shuttles to do this, and the Hubble was in fact designed to be returned to Earth aboard a shuttle eventually, but with the retirement of the shuttle fleet this is no longer an option. It will probably be deorbited sometime around 2025, unless replacements for the shuttle are available before then to re-orbit it and it seems worthwhile to do so.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Satellites stay in orbit due to a balance between their forward momentum and the gravitational pull of the Earth. To remain in orbit, satellites must achieve a certain velocity that allows them to continuously fall towards the Earth while moving forward fast enough to avoid collision. Additionally, altitude, orbital path, and atmospheric drag play important roles in determining a satellite's stability in orbit.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoBasically, their speed has to be within a certain range. Also, if they are too near the Earth, they will gradually lose energy, due to air resistance. Ideally, a satellite has to be at an altitude of a few hundred km.
Basically, their speed has to be within a certain range. Also, if they are too near the Earth, they will gradually lose energy, due to air resistance. Ideally, a satellite has to be at an altitude of a few hundred km.
Basically, their speed has to be within a certain range. Also, if they are too near the Earth, they will gradually lose energy, due to air resistance. Ideally, a satellite has to be at an altitude of a few hundred km.
Basically, their speed has to be within a certain range. Also, if they are too near the Earth, they will gradually lose energy, due to air resistance. Ideally, a satellite has to be at an altitude of a few hundred km.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoBasically, their speed has to be within a certain range. Also, if they are too near the Earth, they will gradually lose energy, due to air resistance. Ideally, a satellite has to be at an altitude of a few hundred km.
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Why do satellites have a period of rotation equal to the earths period of rotation?
Satellites in a geostationary orbit have a period of rotation equal to the Earth's period of rotation to remain stationary relative to a fixed point on Earth. This allows for consistent coverage of a specific region on Earth for applications such as communication and weather monitoring.
Can an object stay in orbit around Saturn somewhere else besides the rings?
Can an object stay in orbit around Saturn somewhere else besides the rings
Will gravity keep a satellite in orbit forever?
Not quite. Forever is a long time! If the satellite is high enough to make air resistance irrelevant, it can stay in orbit for a long, long time. However, orbits do tend to decay eventually; an orbiting object will lose some energy through air resistance, and - in the very long term - through gravitational waves. It is also possible that an object that comes close to Earth changes the orbit of orbiting satellites.
Can Artificial satellites orbit forever?
No, artificial satellites cannot orbit forever. Factors such as atmospheric drag, gravitational perturbations, and decay in their orbit due to various forces will eventually cause them to fall back to Earth or drift away into space.
What is the reason that planets stay in orbit?
The gravitational pull from the sun. God put them there.
Why do the moons stay in orbit of Jupiter?
Gravity holds satellites in orbit.
How satellites stay in orbit?
The reason that satellites stay in orbit around Earth is because of two factors. Velocity and the gravitational pull between the satellite and the Earth.
Do all space satellites stay in the thermosphere?
No. That only applies to low Earth orbit. Geostationary satellites orbit beyond it.
What makes satellites stay in orbit?
Gravity and inertia.
How do satellites stay in there desired locations?
Technically, satellites orbit the Earth in a relatively constant motion, so they don't really "stay" anywhere. In order to remain in the correct orbital path, however, it is necessary for occasional realignment by computer- and/or human-guided rockets.
What happens to old satellites?
Old satellites orbiting near the Earth eventually fall back into the atmosphere and burn. Satellites orbiting farther away stay in orbit indefinitely.
How do satellites stay up in space?
Satellites stay up in space due to how fast they are traveling. If an object is in motion around a planet at the correct speed it will orbit it without crashing towards the planet.
How do astronauts and satellites stay in orbit when gravity pulls it down?
Astronauts and satellites stay in orbit because they are moving fast enough horizontally that the force of gravity pulling them towards Earth is balanced by their forward momentum. This creates a state of continuous free fall around the planet, resulting in a stable orbit.
How do satellites revolve around the earth?
With great velocity; which counteracts the gravitational attraction, so they stay in orbit.
Do satellites move fast in the sky?
Yes, satellites move quickly across the sky, traveling at speeds of thousands of kilometers per hour in orbit around the Earth. This rapid movement is necessary to maintain their orbits and stay in communication with ground stations.
Why are satellites high up above the earth?
Because satellites can't stay in orbit if they're moving through air, so they have to be high enough where there's no air.
What is path satellite takes around earth?
Satellites typically orbit Earth in elliptical or circular paths. The specific path depends on the satellite's purpose and altitude. Low Earth orbit satellites circle the Earth more quickly, while geostationary satellites orbit at the same rate as the Earth's rotation, appearing to stay stationary in the sky.
