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Artificial Satellites - Geostationary Orbit.
Telecommunications use artificial satellites in a geostationary orbit.
The satellite is high
above the Earth's surface
(about 35,000 km)
over the equator. It orbits the Earth once in 24
hrs,
the
same time it takes for the
Earth to spin on its axis. The satellite
is always exactly above
the same point on the Earth's surface.
Seen from the Earth, the satellite appears not
to move.
This is what "geostationary"
means.
"Geo" meaning Earth, "stationary"
meaning it stays still.
A geostationary satellite is used for telecommunications
because the signal transmitter and
receiver can be fixed
to always point at the same
spot in the sky.
Telecommunications satellites are used
to transmit
telephone, radio and TV
signals.
Why is the satellite so high above the Earth?
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