• Question: what do stattelites do

    Asked by Aadesh to Phil, Hannah on 7 Mar 2017.
    • Photo: Hannah Sargeant

      Hannah Sargeant answered on 7 Mar 2017:

      Satellites that we build are used for many things. Satellites can take images, they can be used for navigation, and they can be used for science. Generally, satellites are used for communications because it is a faster way of sending information to different sides of the planet.

    • Photo: Phil Sutton

      Phil Sutton answered on 7 Mar 2017:

      As Hannah said really, most of our satellites we have in orbit around the Earth are used for our own communications and for surveying the planet. However, we send satellites to other planets to survey them. I currently use some of the data and imagery collected from Cassini which is a satellite in orbit around Saturn. Another exciting one is Juno and is set to survey Jupiter in the same way Cassini has been doing with Saturn.

      In fact if you have a look on the NASA website you will find a huge range of satellites in various locations in the solar system. Some like the voyager spacecraft are now leaving the solar system completely.

Comments

  • Photo: rochellevelho

    rochellevelho commented on :

    Now that is a question an a half. Satellites are very useful for space medics. They help us communicate with astronauts and interview them about their health using text messages, and video calls. So I guess we use it for astronaut face time to make sure that there is nothing really serious that needs treatment.