Types Of Satellites In Space

63 of current operational satellites are at a low orbit level 2000 km 6 are at medium orbit level 20000 km 20 are at the geostationary orbit level 36000 km and rest 2 at elliptic level 36000 km.

Types of satellites in space.

Adapted from fundamentals of space systems by vincent l. Polar orbiting and geostationary. Russian communications satellites and the sirius radio satellites currently use this type of orbit. This is a list of satellites and spacecraft which have been given usa designations by the united states air force these designations have been applied to most us military satellites since 1984 and replaced the earlier ops designation.

It is comparable to the soviet russian kosmos designation. There are many different types of satellites in the sky and they have a variety of uses from transmissions to data gathering. There are different types of tether satellites including skyhooks format flying tethers momentum exchange tethers and electrodynamic tethers. The satellite moves in an extreme ellipse with the earth close to one edge.

These satellites are placed in space at different altitudes and they are facing different planets depending on the applications. Satellites can operate by themselves or as part of a larger system a satellite formation or satellite constellation. As of december 2018 usa designations have been assigned to 290 space missions. Satellites are a manmade construction which are launched into orbiting patterns in space.

Since the 1960s more than 26 000 satellites have been launched for both military and civilian purposes. Low earth orbits leo leo satellites occupy a region of space from about 111 miles 180 kilometers to 1 243 miles 2 000 kilometers above earth. There are two types of weather satellites. Satellite tethers tend to be relatively cheaper than spacecraft using rocket engines depending on the objective of the mission and altitude.

Both satellite systems have unique characteristics and produce very different products the two polar orbiting satellites in their north south orbits observe the same spot on the earth twice daily once during the daylight and once at night. Common types include military and civilian earth observation satellites communications satellites navigation satellites weather satellites and space telescopes.