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Q. Do all man-made satellites orbit the Earth west to East ?



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 22nd 03, 06:06 AM
Jim Jones
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Default Q. Do all man-made satellites orbit the Earth west to East ?

Hi,

Do all man made satellites that we've sent up to orbit the earth orbit
in the same direction as the earth's rotation?

As I understand from earlier posts, that's the direction that rockets
are sent up to benefit from fuel savings, while launching something
into orbit.

If I udnerstand correctly, some communications satellites are
stationary in their position above the earth for things like people's
direct tv reception, etc.
Some I understand actually orbit around Earth's poles.

Thanks,
Jim
  #2  
Old August 22nd 03, 06:44 AM
Starlord
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No, some are in polar obit, others are in orbit around Mars, Jupiter, and one
will be in orbit around Saturn within a few months.


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towards an east that would not know another dawn.
But elsewhere the stars were still young and the light of morning
lingered: and along the path he once had followed, man would one day go
again."

Arthur C. Clarke, The City & The Stars

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"Jim Jones" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Do all man made satellites that we've sent up to orbit the earth orbit
in the same direction as the earth's rotation?

As I understand from earlier posts, that's the direction that rockets
are sent up to benefit from fuel savings, while launching something
into orbit.

If I udnerstand correctly, some communications satellites are
stationary in their position above the earth for things like people's
direct tv reception, etc.
Some I understand actually orbit around Earth's poles.

Thanks,
Jim



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  #3  
Old August 22nd 03, 06:46 AM
Bill Nunnelee
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Yes. Most are launched west to east to take advantage of the Earth's
rotational velocity. To go from east to west would mean first countering
that initial velocity, then continuing to accelerate to orbital speed in the
opposite direction---using more fuel in the process. Quite a few are
launched into polar orbits for various reasons. And geosynchronous orbits
(one revolution per day, exactly matching the Earth's rotation) are
advantageous for a number of applications, not just communication.


"Jim Jones" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Do all man made satellites that we've sent up to orbit the earth orbit
in the same direction as the earth's rotation?

As I understand from earlier posts, that's the direction that rockets
are sent up to benefit from fuel savings, while launching something
into orbit.

If I udnerstand correctly, some communications satellites are
stationary in their position above the earth for things like people's
direct tv reception, etc.
Some I understand actually orbit around Earth's poles.

Thanks,
Jim



  #4  
Old August 22nd 03, 12:05 PM
Benoit Morrissette
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Default

On Fri, 22 Aug 2003 05:06:51 GMT, Jim Jones
wrote:

Hi,

Do all man made satellites that we've sent up to orbit the earth orbit
in the same direction as the earth's rotation?

As I understand from earlier posts, that's the direction that rockets
are sent up to benefit from fuel savings, while launching something
into orbit.

If I udnerstand correctly, some communications satellites are
stationary in their position above the earth for things like people's
direct tv reception, etc.
Some I understand actually orbit around Earth's poles.

Thanks,
Jim


You are right. To have a GREAT look in 3D at satellites around Earth, take a
look at:
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/RealTim.../JTrack3D.html

Benoît Morrissette

Benoît Morrissette
  #5  
Old August 22nd 03, 06:46 PM
Jonathan Silverlight
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In message , Jim Jones
writes
Hi,

Do all man made satellites that we've sent up to orbit the earth orbit
in the same direction as the earth's rotation?

As I understand from earlier posts, that's the direction that rockets
are sent up to benefit from fuel savings, while launching something
into orbit.

If I udnerstand correctly, some communications satellites are
stationary in their position above the earth for things like people's
direct tv reception, etc.
Some I understand actually orbit around Earth's poles.


AFAIK the only satellites that don't orbit in the same direction are
Israeli spy satellites, which are sent east to west so their rockets
don't fall on unfriendly neighbours.
You're right saying that communication satellites and some others are
"stationary", but they are still moving west to east, but at the same
angular rate as the Earth below.
And finally, satellites don't orbit "around" the poles but they can have
orbits taking them over both poles, going north to south/south to north,
or even slightly west of north so their inclination to the equator is
more than 90 degrees.
--
"Roads in space for rockets to travel....four-dimensional roads, curving with
relativity"
Mail to jsilverlight AT merseia.fsnet.co.uk is welcome.
Or visit Jonathan's Space Site http://www.merseia.fsnet.co.uk
 




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