Navigation Satellites Use Laser Beam Signals example essay topic

History changed on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I. The world's first artificial satellite was about the size of a basketball, weighed only 183 pounds, and took about 98 minutes to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path. That launch ushered in new political, military, technological, and scientific developments. Plans to begin launching the first satellites began in the mid 1950's. On October 4, 1957, Sputnik 1 was launched by the Soviet Union.

It circled the earth and transmitted radio signals received on earth. On November 3, 1957, Sputnik 2 was launched. This time carrying a dog named Laika, which was the first animal in space. On Jan. 31, 1958, the U.S. launched their first satellite, Explorer 1. There are many different kinds of satellites that are used everyday. One type of satellite is weather satellite.

Tiros 1 was the first weather satellite which was launched on April 1, 1960. Tiros 1 sent pictures of clouds to the earth. Another kind of satellite is a navigation satellite. This satellite was first developed by the U.S. Navy.

It was called Transit 1 B, and it first orbited in April of 1960. The U.S. launched Echo 1, the first communication satellite. Echo 1 reflected signals back to Earth. The other communication satellites were launched in the follow years. Telstar 1, launched on July 10, 1962, by the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, was the first active satellite capable of transmitting telephone conversations, television pictures, and telephoto microwaves. Syncom 2, launched by NASA on July 26, 1963, was the first synchronous communication satellite, while Syncom 3, launched August 19, 1964, relayed the first trans-Pacific television pictures.

The Soviet Union!'s first communication satellite, Molniya 1 A, launched in April 1965, was capable of relaying black-and-white and colour TV, voice, teletype, and facsimile signals. A series of Molniya and Gorizont satellites have provided international communication links through the Intersputnik network, set up in 1971, which today has 12 members and two Statsionar satellite in geostationary orbit. The usage of satellites in the 1960's differs greatly from the 1970's and 1990's. As of 1965,100 satellites were placed in orbit each year. In the 1970's satellite usage expanded from the usage in the 60's. Scientists created new and more effective satellite instruments.

Computers and miniature electronic technology in satellite design and construction was used. Many nations along with private businesses began to purchase and operate satellites. In the 1990's satellites became more popular and more necessary. By the early 90's more than 20 countries owned and operated their own satellites, and 2,000 satellites were operating in orbit. Satellites are put to a wide variety of uses. Applications range from scientific research to military reconnaissance.

The first satellites were used to study the Earth's upper atmosphere and inner space. Today, scientific satellites study a far greater range of objects. The major application of artificial satellites has been to provide long-distance communication links. Telephone companies, cable television stations, newspapers, and magazines use communications satellites to transmit data to various parts of the globe. Meteorological satellites use highly sensitive instruments for modern weather forecasting. Navigation satellites use laser-beam signals to determine the exact location of a ship on Earth.

Therefore, Satellite technology developed in many different fields of interest. Satellites were developed to help scientists take a closer look at the moon, to help predict weather and to help the Navy navigate their submarines. The satellites that were used for different areas contained different things inside of them. They used different systems and ways of taking pictures. The materials that were used in the satellite played a major role in the information that they returned with. A new use of geostationary satellites is GPS, which stands for Geographical Positioning System, is used for determining one's precise location and providing a highly accurate time reference almost anywhere on Earth.

This technology is now being incorporated into expensive new cars. GPS has 3 parts: the space segment, the user segment, and the control segment. The space segment consists of 24 satellites, each in its own orbit 11,000 nautical miles above the Earth. The user segment consists of receivers, which you can hold in your hand or mount in your car. The control segment consists of ground stations that make sure the satellites are working properly. The principle behind GPS is the measurement of distance between the receiver and the satellites.

The satellites also tell us exactly where they are in their orbits above the Earth. It works something like this: If we know our exact distance from a satellite in space, we know we are somewhere on the surface of an imaginary sphere with radius equal to the distance to the satellite radius. If we know our exact distance from two satellites, we know that we are located somewhere on the line where the two spheres intersect. And, if we take a third measurement, there are only two possible points where we could be located. One of these is usually impossible, and the GPS receivers have mathematical methods of eliminating the impossible location. We know that the GPS system consists of satellites whose paths are monitored by ground stations.

Each satellite generates radio signals that allow a receiver to estimate the satellite location and distance between the satellite and the receiver. The receiver uses the measurements to calculate where on or above the Earth the user is located. I reckon the GPS technology is an amazing system. Beside it is being offered as a moving-map display which is incorporated in new vehicles, it also helping to save lives. Many police, fire, and emergency medical service units are using GPS receivers to determine the police car, fire truck, or ambulance nearest to an emergency, enabling the quickest possible response in life-or-death situations. Archaeologists and explorers are also using this system.

Anyone equipped with a GPS receiver can use it as a reference point to find another location.