Why space matters: HEO Satellite Operations, Part 1–You’ve Never Kepled?

In previous lessons you’ve learned about the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and the Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO). There are pros and cons in using each orbit. Generally for satellites in LEO orbit, particularly imagery satellites like those owned by DigitalGlobe and SkyBox, the closer the satellites are to the Earth, the more detail of the objects […]

Why Space Matters: 2014 FIFA World Cup–30,000 Hours of It

This is more of a **yawn** for me, as I’m not the biggest sports fan in the world. Maybe not even the millionth biggest. But there are a lot of people who inexplicably are–especially those soccer (“football” for everyone not in the US) fans. Good news then, for those fans: satellites and frequencies have been […]

Gravity Check: Thousands of Satellites Orbit Earth

Quick–just how many satellites, operational or not, are orbiting Earth? Pretend you’re trying to impress your fellow engineers. Even better, pretend you’re trying to impress people in a bar (although that strategy might backfire). Have you guessed? Do you really want to know if you’re correct or are you satisfied with impressing the folks in the […]

A Chinese Direct Ascent GEO AntiSatellite Test in 2013?

Brian Weeden, from The Space Review, has written up a fairly well thought-out and long story about the May 2013 launch of a “sounding rocket” (according to the Chinese) from Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The story, posted on 17 March 2014, gives some pretty good reasons to suspect that perhaps the Chinese were not telling […]

Can Satellites Help Find Lost Aircraft? Can You? Maybe!

“The mystery surrounding the unfortunate Malaysian Flight MH370 has caused some of the more astute reporters to ask questions about satellites. Specifically, were there any satellites over the area the airplane disappeared in? And if there were, would they, or could they have picked up anything to help find the missing airplane? Ultimately, can satellites help […]