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How do satellites work?
7/2/2012 | POWERSBOOTHEFAN

Posted on 07/01/2012 9:08:55 PM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN

Does anyone here have knowledge about space and how satellites work? How are they launched,kept in orbit and brought back to earth?

I'm a science geek and really curious about the universe.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: astronomy; geek; impulsive; nasa; satellites; science; vanity
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN

The satellite needs to reach about 17,000 miles an hour to reach orbit and be pointed in the right direction. My Dad designed Vanguard 1, the fourth satellite in orbit and the oldest one still there. The first six seconds of the video shows me and my brother and three sisters arranged around the Vanguard 1 a week or two before its launch (I’m wearing the red coat).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msLSW1U1t1U


21 posted on 07/01/2012 9:53:37 PM PDT by Richard from IL
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN

How do we know you don’t work for North Korea?


22 posted on 07/01/2012 9:57:36 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN

Basically an object in orbit around the Earth (for example) is constantly falling due to the force of gravity. However, the path of falling carries the object around the Earth rather than falling back onto the earth. If an object does not achieve orbit, it will follow a ballistic path back to the Earth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbit


23 posted on 07/01/2012 10:00:56 PM PDT by Kirkwood (Zombie Hunter)
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN

I don’t know whether you’re stupid or not, but think of it as a teachable moment...


24 posted on 07/01/2012 10:04:33 PM PDT by NonZeroSum
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN

Are you ten? Every time a rocket has launched a description of how this works is done by NASA. Rockets burn fuel. IF you truly are a science ‘geek’ then you should know some physics-—the laws of which ( even Newtonian) take over. The fore generated by the fuel burning launches the rocket into motion. Gravity effects the direction of travel. If one has enough velocity to overcome the effects of gravity you achieve orbit. Go build some small rockets and learn while doing.


25 posted on 07/01/2012 10:05:44 PM PDT by Nifster
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To: RaisingCain

ah I knew there was a hidden trick to it. ;)


26 posted on 07/01/2012 10:07:50 PM PDT by Nifster
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN

Simple, upsidasium.


27 posted on 07/01/2012 10:08:15 PM PDT by Dawggie
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To: SERKIT

I lived next door to a rocket scientist for over a year. I dont know what he did at work, but I had to help him out with basic household mechanical type things all the time.

Not impressed.


28 posted on 07/01/2012 10:09:34 PM PDT by Delta 21 (Oh Crap !! Did I say that out loud ??!??)
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To: RaisingCain

I thought satellites are kept afloat by the hot air emanating from president Oblamo?


29 posted on 07/01/2012 10:10:51 PM PDT by entropy12 (Hate is the most insidious emotion, it will rot your gut from the inside.)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

well,I don’t.


30 posted on 07/01/2012 10:11:01 PM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN (It's hurricane season! Yay!)
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN

Are you a young person? If so, as I said, consider it a teachable moment.

A “science geek” isn’t someone who asks questions like this — it’s someone who is asked questions like this. Think about it.

We’re happy to help, but no one wants to spoon feed someone else — we have better things to do with our time. It’s a big Internet out there — go do so research, read what you find, then come back with questions that web searches don’t answer, and we’ll try to help.


31 posted on 07/01/2012 10:12:59 PM PDT by NonZeroSum
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To: Nifster

I’m 36 and I’m sorry I’m not as smart as you.


32 posted on 07/01/2012 10:13:27 PM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN (It's hurricane season! Yay!)
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To: Richard from IL

Thank you for not treating me like an idiot.


33 posted on 07/01/2012 10:14:31 PM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN (It's hurricane season! Yay!)
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN
I'll give you an honest cook's answer.

You don't have to take Astronomy. You can in-opportune an astronomy prof any day of the week and he'll talk until you have to fake a seizure.

There is force. It is a unit of measure.

There is mass. It is a unit of measure.

There is acceleration which is a complicated kind of unit of measure but for Newtonian cases what you see is what you get.

Force acting on a body causes it to move. It will move until another force acts on it.

Get that part and you've got most of it.

Dammit, I'm a cook not a prof.

/johnny

34 posted on 07/01/2012 10:15:29 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN
Everything you need to know in three minutes and three seconds.

35 posted on 07/01/2012 10:16:38 PM PDT by I see my hands (It's time to.. KICK OUT THE JAMS, MOTHER FREEPERS!)
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN

What you’re really asking about is a field of physics called “orbital mechanics.”

I was forced to study this for one semester. Why they made a EE study orbital mechanics... I have no idea. Never used it since. Every other course where I asked at the time “Why are we studying this nonsense?” I have used.

Orbital mechanics... going on 30 years and still haven’t used it.

But rather than my trying to coach you through it, here’s a link to a guy’s page where he lays most of the issues you have out in pretty compact form. You’ll need a little background in Newtonian physics, but not much of the heavier math usually involved (integral calc, DiffEQ’s and Lagrangians) to nut your way through this stuff:

http://www.braeunig.us/space/orbmech.htm


36 posted on 07/01/2012 10:16:43 PM PDT by NVDave
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To: NonZeroSum

I’m not expecting a college lecture. I’m just interested in what scientists here have to say.


37 posted on 07/01/2012 10:17:02 PM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN (It's hurricane season! Yay!)
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To: RaisingCain

Is this a swipe at me? Because if it is it’s a pretty s****y thing to say. :(


38 posted on 07/01/2012 10:19:13 PM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN (It's hurricane season! Yay!)
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To: NonZeroSum
but think of it as a teachable moment...

Yeah... I made my snark remark and then came back and did my NCO thing.

Old habits. Cooks can only teach so much. Eventually, you have to study and learn to integrate differentials.

/johnny

39 posted on 07/01/2012 10:21:21 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: All

What I should have said is that I am fascinated with science. That’s what I meant by being a “geek”. There are science classes I have not taken so I have a lot to learn,especially about physics and astronomy.

I am not stupid but school has been a struggle for me.

There’s no reason to attack me.


40 posted on 07/01/2012 10:22:40 PM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN (It's hurricane season! Yay!)
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