Learning about satellites

Learning about satellites

The satellite workshop was truly amazing. We learned lots of new information, and how important the satellites are. The human being has become totally dependent on satellites.
The military, weather station, maps of the world, the astronomists would be so much behind if they would not have satellites.
Smaller satellites are about 150cm3 big, the biggest existing satellite is about 30m3 big and weighs 7t, the International Space Station. It costs about 300-400 million US$ to make a satellite and send it to space.
The TT&C, Satellite Tracking Telemetry and Command, checks that there are no problems with the satellite before it gets send to space by a shuttle.
There are three types of satellite:
LEO(Low Earth Orbit): 160 to 1000 km above Earth. It travels 28162km/h. It observes Earth.
MEO(Medium Earth Orbit): It travels iv 4-6 hours around the Earth. It also observes Earth. The speed is changing.
GEO: Circles the Earth in 24 hours. It travels the same direction as the rotation of Earth. It travels in 390000km/h. It is a Communication Satellite.
The South African Satellite is called Sumbandilasat, which stands for Pathfinder. It is an Earth Observation Satellite.
3-4 year old satellites get send to sun and blow up. It is cheaper than getting it back to Earth.
Interesting website: www.csir.co.za