Why Can’t Satellites Go Over The Poles?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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GPS satellites pass in regular orbits that can be seen from the whole Earth. They

don’t need

to pass over the poles to do so. Launching into a polar orbit

Do satellites travel over the North Pole?


Only a satellite passing directly over the poles will pass over the poles

. GPS satellites pass in regular orbits that can be seen from the whole Earth. They don’t need to pass over the poles to do so. Launching into a polar orbit

Do satellites go over the North Pole?


Satellites can orbit Earth’s equator or go over Earth’s North and South Poles

. . . or anything in between. They orbit at a low altitude of just a few hundred miles above Earth’s surface or thousands of miles out in space. The choice of orbit all depends on the satellite’s job.

Do satellites fly south to north?


Satellites may move north to south

, or south to north, or west to east, but never from east to west. When satellites are launched, they always head eastward to take advantage of the Earth’s rotation, going more than 1,000 miles per hour near the equator.

Do satellites stay above the same place?

Because the satellite orbits

At what speed do satellites travel?

To maintain an orbit that is 22,223 miles (35,786 km) above Earth, the satellite must orbit at a speed of

about 7,000 mph (11,300 kph)

. That orbital speed and distance permits the satellite to make one revolution in 24 hours.

Why are there no satellite images of the North Pole?

The reason that there are few / no high resolution photos of the north and south pole is that it turns out they

‘re fairly boring

, and remote, and desolate, so it’s difficult to get pictures of (and the boring nature of the area means there’s not much drive to do so).

What direction do most satellites travel?

Passing by. We can actually see satellites passing overhead before dawn and after dusk, as they reflect sunlight down towards us. Some satellites follow the rotation of the Earth and move from

west to east

. Others have orbits taking them over the poles, and travel north to south or south to north.

What are the 4 types of satellites?

Common types include

military and civilian Earth observation satellites, communications satellites, navigation satellites, weather satellites, and space telescopes

.

How many satellites are orbiting the Earth in 2020?

By 2020, 114 launches carried

around 1,300 satellites

to space, surpassing the 1,000 new satellites per year mark for the first time. But no year in the past compares to 2021. As of Sept. 16, roughly 1,400 new satellites have already begun circling the Earth, and that will only increase as the year goes on.

At what height satellites are placed?

The majority of satellites orbiting the Earth

Can a satellite stay still?

In celestial mechanics

Can a satellite stay still in space?

If the satellite was moving through empty space it would stay in its orbit forever, there being no forces acting to speed it up or to slow it down. In reality low orbit Earth satellites

are not travelling through empty space

and so experience a resistive force or drag due to the thin atmosphere which they encounter.

What does a satellite look like from Earth at night?

A: Yes, you can see satellites in particular orbits as they pass overhead at night. Viewing is best away from city lights and in cloud-free skies. The satellite will

look like a star steadily moving across the sky for a few minutes

. If the lights are blinking, you probably are seeing a plane, not a satellite.

How is 1 hour in space equal to 7 years on Earth?

Answer: The time-dilation effect of Einstein’s relativity has nothing to do with space. The faster you’re moving, the slower time goes for you. So if you were on some planet moving extremely fast through space, like in the movie Interstellar, then you could miss

7 years

on Earth every hour.

How fast do satellites travel in the sky?

The speed a satellite must travel to stay in orbit is

about 17,500 mph (28,200 km/h)

at an altitude of 150 miles (242 kilometers.) However, in order to maintain an orbit that is 22,223 miles (35,786 kilometers) above Earth, a satellite orbits at a speed of about 7,000 mph (11,300 km/h).

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.