Satellites LEVELED BOOK • Z

Satellites
A Reading A–Z Level Z Leveled Book
Word Count: 1,827

Written by Lori Polydoros

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On the Internet, use www.google.com to find out
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terms from the text, or try searching for glossary
or index words.
Satellites
Some searches to try: satellites, Global
Positioning System, or Hubble Space Telescope.

Index
artificial satellites, 4–6, 8, 18 Mir, 19
bus, 6 Moon, 4, 16, 18
Columbia space shuttle, 21 NASA, 9, 21
communication satellites, 11, 14 orbit(s), 4, 5, 8–11, 15, 17–20
downlinking, 7 orbiting, 8, 19
Earth observational satellites, 12 payload, 6
Earth Station, 7 polar orbit, 10
elliptical orbit, 10, 18 research, 19, 20, 22
environmental satellites, 12 sensors, 7, 17
Global Positioning System, 16 solar energy, 6
gravity, 8, 18, 20 Sputnik I and II, 18
Hubble Space Telescope, 17, 20 Strategic Defense Initiative
(SDI/STAR WARS), 13
International Space Station, 19, 20
uplinking, 7
low-Earth orbit, 8–10, 17, 20, 21 Written by Lori Polydoros
weather, 15
meteorologists, 15
weather satellite, 15 www.readinga-z.com
military, or spy, satellites, 12–14

24
Photo Credits:
Front cover: courtesy of NASA/JHU APL; back cover, title page: courtesy of NASA; Glossary
page 3: courtesy of NASA/Kepler Mission/Wendy Stenzel; pages 4, 5 (Earth, satellite),
10 (Earth, satellite), 16 (satellite), 24 (satellite): © ArtToday; pages 5 (Mars, Jupiter, artificial human-made objects that orbit other
Saturn), 16: © Jupiterimages Corporation; page 5 (Io): courtesy of NASA/JPL/University
of Arizona; page 5 (Callisto) ): courtesy of NASA/JPL/DLR; page 6: courtesy of NASA/
satellites (n.) objects in space (p. 4)
WMAP Science Team; page 7: courtesy of NASA/JPL/Deep Space Network; page 8:
courtesy of ESA - GOCE High Level Processing Facility; page 9: courtesy of NASA/
astronomical research satellites to monitor waves
JSC/Orbital Debris Program Office; page 11: © Jakob Kamender/123RF; page 12: satellites (n.) and particles in deep space (p. 16)
courtesy of Robert Simmon/NASA/Earth Observatory; page 13: courtesy of NASA/
GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team; page 14: courtesy bus (n.) the body of a satellite; contains basic
of NASA/MODIS Rapid Response Team; page 15: courtesy of NOAA/NESDIS/SSD; functions and equipment (p. 6)
page 17: courtesy of Space Telescope Science Institute/NASA; page 18: © Detlev Van
Ravenswaay/SPL/Photo Researchers, Inc.; page 19: courtesy of STS-130 Crew, NASA;
communication satellites that pick up sound, picture,
page 20: courtesy of Space Telescope Science Institute/NASA; page 22: © Sergei
Chirikov/epa/Corbis; page 24: © Andrey Prokhorov/iStockphoto.com satellites (n.) and telephone signals (p. 11)

Front cover: The STEREO mission studies Sun-Earth relationships, severe solar eruptions, environmental satellites that monitor how the Earth is
and helps weather-detection satellites. satellites (n.) changing (p. 12)
Back cover: The Mir Russian space station docked with the space shuttle Atlantis in GPS (n.) Global Positioning System, uses radio
1995.
signals from satellites to pinpoint
Title page: Environmental satellite GOES is designed to help with severe storm warnings locations (p. 16)
and global resource management.
gravity (n.) the Earth’s force that pulls everything
to its center (p. 8)
low-Earth an orbit close to the Earth, 200–500 miles
orbit (n.) (321–804 km) high (p. 8)
meteorologists scientists that study the Earth’s
(n.) atmosphere, climate, and weather (p. 15)
navigational satellites that help ships and planes
satellites (n.) know where they are (p. 16)
orbits (n.) the paths of objects around others (p. 4)
payload (n.) part of a satellite that carries tools (p. 6)
Satellites
Level Z Leveled Book polar orbit (n.) orbiting the North and South poles (p. 10)
© Learning A–Z Correlation
Written by Lori Polydoros LEVEL Z reconnaissance satellites that gather information
Illustrations by Craig Frederick satellites (n.) about other countries (p. 12)
Fountas & Pinnell U–V
All rights reserved. Reading Recovery N/A weather satellites that monitor weather (p. 15)
www.readinga-z.com DRA 50 satellites (n.)

Satellites • Level Z 23
 Conclusion
Satellites are clearly here to stay. Continually
evolving satellite technology will continue to
change our lives even more in the future. One
recent development is Internet Routing In Space
(IRIS), which allows for more instant transfer of
voice, video, and data communication to remote
areas. Researchers have recently developed
satellite-imaging programs that let farmers track
herd animals or monitor water supplies and
irrigation levels.

Improving
satellite Table of Contents
technology Satellites 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
adds greatly
Satellite Anatomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
to scientific
knowledge. Outstanding Orbits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Satellites make Satellites Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
it possible
First Satellites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
The space race began with the launch of
for us to
Russia’s basketball-sized Sputnik I (right) communicate The International Space Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
and Sputnik II (left) in 1957.
information Satellite Rescue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
quickly to people all over the world. Satellite
Satellite Funerals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
images help us to come up with better ways
to protect our planet. Research satellites will Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
continue to probe our galaxy, helping us unravel Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
the mysteries of the universe.
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

22 Satellites • Level Z 3
 Satellite Rescue
Our Solar System After the Columbia space shuttle was
launched in 1981, satellite rescue missions
became easier. Technology on board the shuttles
improved the chances of success. Manned
Uranus
Jupiter Maneuvering Units, which looked like legless
Earth chairs strapped to an astronaut’s back, allowed
Mercury astronauts to move freely outside the spacecraft
without being tied to the shuttle. Robotic arms
could snag satellites and retrieve them for
use in different orbits. Since the U.S. Shuttle
program shut down in 2011, NASA has tested
and researched new techniques and equipment
Neptune to ensure that there are other options for
Saturn repairing satellites in orbit.
Mars
Venus
Sun Satellite Funerals
Space is a busy place, especially with space
The eight planets of our solar system are satellites that orbit the Sun.
junk and thousands of aging satellites in low-
Earth orbit. Currently there is no international
Satellites 101
law that says old satellites must be removed from
A satellite is any object in space that orbits, their orbit. Objects in orbit above 500 miles (804
or revolves around, another object. There are km) can stay there for thousands of years! Over
two kinds—natural and artificial satellites. The time, satellites in some orbits get pulled back into
Moon is a natural satellite that revolves around Earth’s atmosphere where they most often burn
Earth. All of the planets in our Solar System are up before reaching the ground. NASA and other
natural satellites of the Sun. Artificial satellites agencies are working with innovative ideas to get
are made by humans. rid of aging satellite traffic in space.

4 Satellites • Level Z 21
 ISS travels in low-Earth orbit about 250 miles
Artificial satellites are high-tech tools that
(402 km) up, which allows people and equipment
orbit Earth. They are like space robots that
to be ferried back and forth with launch vehicles,
do many jobs people can’t. Even though we
such as Russia’s Soyuz rocket or the U.S. space
often aren’t aware of them, artificial satellites
shuttle. The ISS can make excellent Earth
have played an important part in our lives
observations because it covers 85 percent of the
since Sputnik I was launched in 1957. Artificial
globe at this orbit.
satellites allow us to do everyday things, such
The ISS has the most state-of-the-art as use our cell phones and select TV programs
laboratory in orbit. Scientists hope to make many from hundreds of domestic and international
discoveries that will help people all over the channels. Satellites help captains navigate ships,
world. Some of the research will include: testing and meteorologists predict the path of dangerous
the effects of long-term low gravity on humans, storms. Thousands of satellites now orbit Earth.
spaceflight-induced bone loss, and long-term
Similar to satellites are space
observing of Earth’s environment.
probes, which usually explore other Saturn
planets, moons, or asteroids within
our Solar System. They can also
travel to the far reaches of space,
sending back valuable information.

Earth

Jupiter

Mars

Space probe

The Hubble Space Telescope is adjusted in orbit by astronauts in Illustration not to scale
the space shuttle.

20 Satellites • Level Z 5
 Satellite Anatomy The International Space Station
Satellites are built for specific jobs. On the Space stations allow astronauts to live and
outside, they may look like a barrel or a windmill work while orbiting Earth for extended periods
and have paddles, solar panels, or sails. Inside, of time. In 2000, the first crew boarded the
satellites contain mission-specific scientific International Space Station, or ISS. Then, it was the
instruments. The payload includes whatever tools newest and largest thing in space. Before the ISS,
the satellite needs to perform its work, such as the Russian space station, Mir, was the largest and
sensitive antennas, high-resolution cameras, and most famous space station ever built. This 130-ton
communication electronics. The bus is the part station stayed in space for 15 years. Mir’s final size
that carries the payload. The bus holds all the was about 98 feet long and 45 feet wide and had
parts together; provides the electrical power for six components. By 2010, the ISS had grown to be
the computers and communication equipment, about four times
and the power to move the satellite forward. larger than Mir,
with a living and
work space equal
Solar
to a 747 jumbo-
Sensation
jet. The ISS has
Satellites use
solar energy from almost an acre of
the Sun to run their solar panels to
equipment. The power it!
flaps, wings, panels,
or the satellite’s
shell can be covered Space Partners
with solar cells. The International Space Station is a joint effort
These cells convert of 16 countries: the United States, Canada, Japan,
the Sun’s energy to Russia, 11 countries from ESA, the European Space
electricity. A satellite Agency, and Brazil. Each international partner
never pays an contributes important elements, such as the highly
electric bill! maneuverable robotic arm built by Canada.

6 Satellites • Level Z 19
 First Satellites
Linking Up!
Famous scientist Isaac Newton first came up Downlinking is when a satellite converts the
with the idea for an artificial satellite in 1687 after information it collects into a radio signal and sends it
realizing that Earth’s gravity held the Moon in its back to Earth. These signals travel through space and
orbit. The former Soviet Union took Newton’s are received at an Earth Station, or dish. Sending
signals back up to a satellite is called uplinking.
advice almost 300 years later when it launched
the first object into space, the satellite Sputnik I.

Sputnik I was about the size of a basketball

and had four antennas that sent out radio signals.
It circled Earth in 98 minutes in an elliptical orbit.
The launch of Sputnik I surprised Americans
and marked the
beginning of the
space race between
the two countries.
After six months,
Sputnik I slowly
fell back to Earth, A collection of Earth Stations are arranged to receive satellite signals.
burning up in the
atmosphere. Computers function as the satellite’s brain. The
computers receive information, interpret it, and
send messages back to Earth. Advanced digital
Living Cargo cameras serve as the satellite’s eyes. Sensors are
To prove that a living thing could survive in space, other important parts that recognize light and
the Soviet Union sent a dog, named Laika, aboard its color, heat, water, minerals, and gases. Sensors
second satellite, Sputnik II in 1957. She became the record changes in what is being observed. Radios
world’s first space traveler. Sadly, Sputnik II was not
on the satellite send information back to Earth
made to return to Earth and Laika died.
where antennas receive the signals.

18 Satellites • Level Z 7
 The Hubble Space Telescope is the most
famous U.S. astronomical satellite. The “ultimate
telescope” was launched into its low-Earth orbit
in 1990, and after twenty years of performance
beyond any expectation, the last of its series
of refurbishing missions gave it a final tune-
The first global gravity model based on GOCE satellite data was
up. It received new cameras, new batteries and
presented in mid-2010. The GOCE satellite has the capability to gyroscopes, a Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, and
map the tiny variations in Earth’s gravity pull.
a renewed expectation of perhaps another ten
years of taking pictures in deep space.
Outstanding Orbits
As it continues to orbit Earth at 17,000 miles
Artificial satellites use gravity to stay in their
per hour, the Hubble’s reflecting telescopes, high-
orbits. Earth’s gravity pulls everything toward
powered cameras, sensors, and other tools act as
the center of the planet. To stay in Earth’s orbit, a
“eyes” to the universe. In its first twenty years,
satellite’s speed must adjust to the tiniest changes
these eyes have recorded more than 45 terabytes
in the pull of gravity. The satellite’s speed works
of data, which is enough information to fill
against Earth’s gravity just enough so that it
about 5,800 DVDs. The Hubble helped scientists
doesn’t go speeding into space or falling back
understand star birth and death, black holes, and
to Earth.
the evolution of galaxies.
Rockets carry satellites to different types and
heights of orbits, based on the jobs they need
to do. Satellites closer to Earth are in low-Earth
orbit, which can be 200–500 miles (321–804 km)
high. Gravity is stronger closer to Earth so these
satellites must travel at about 17,000 miles per
hour (27,358 kph) to keep from falling back to
Earth. Higher-orbiting satellites can travel more
slowly because gravity’s pull isn’t as strong.

8 Satellites • Level Z 17
 Hunks of Junk!
A space shuttle traveling in low-Earth orbit
smacked into a fleck of paint that dug a pit in a
window nearly a quarter-inch (6.35 mm) wide!
Space might seem empty, but what’s really out
there is an orbiting garbage dump—leftovers from
early space missions such as gloves, lens caps,
Go GPS! bolts, rocket motors, and meteoroids, too.
GPS was originally developed for military use, but now These objects slam into spacecraft at speeds of
people across the globe are using this satellite technology to 170,000 mph (273,588 kph) or more, causing
determine where they are. Many cars now have small GPS serious damage.
monitors that can tell drivers how to get from one place to the
next. But GPS isn’t perfect—it can be disturbed by electrical
storms, solar flares, computer failure, or power failures.

Large ships and planes cannot stay on course

without navigational satellites to help them find
their way. Global Positioning System, or GPS,
receives radio signals from three satellites that
are used to pinpoint an exact location anywhere.

Astronomical satellites have the ultimate

view of the universe! They look deep into space
at the Moon, Sun, planets, stars, and galaxies.
Scientists use these research satellites to study
waves and particles moving through space in the
hope of understanding more about our universe.
Satellite missions have helped NASA chart over 370,000
Infrared satellites are probing the darkest corners known pieces of space junk. After six years in space, the
of space and relaying images never thought satellites came home riddled with pits, cracks, and holes
from space debris!
possible—of objects we couldn’t see before.

16 Satellites • Level Z 9
 Satellites that follow a lopsided elliptical,
or oval-shaped, orbit do so to get a closer view
of Earth. At 540 miles (869 km) up, satellites in
polar orbit travel from pole to pole and circle
the Earth eighteen times a day! Other satellites
orbit over the equator 22,300 miles (35,888 km)
up. They move at the same speed that the Earth
is turning. These satellites are in stationary orbits,
Weather satellites predict and track storm systems around
meaning it takes 24 hours for the satellite to circle the world.
our planet. The Earth takes 24 hours to spin on
its axis, so these satellites appear to stay over the Weather satellites save lives. They monitor
same spot! weather systems, wind speeds, rainfall, and
much more. Weather satellites warn us about
dangerous storms, such as hurricanes or
Polar Orbit
typhoons. Earlier warning and more accurate
information allow people more time to either
prepare for the storm or evacuate the area.
Meteorologists, scientists who study Earth’s
atmosphere, weather, and climate, can make
Low-Earth
Orbit
better forecasts using satellites.

Equatorial
Weather satellites
Orbit use cameras and
Working Together
Meteorologists use weather
tools that measure
satellites in different orbits
the temperature in to help them make the best
the atmosphere. They observations. Two satellites
can help ships in the circle Earth over the poles.
Satellites orbit Earth according Another set of these satellites
to the job they do. ocean by detecting
orbit Earth at the equator.
snow and ice at sea.

10 Satellites • Level Z 15
 Satellites Work
Satellites in Emergencies
Both communication and military spy satellites Scientists design
are important in major emergencies. Disasters satellites to collect
often destroy all means of transportation and many different types
other forms of communication, but satellite signals of information.
are not affected.
Scientists design
Radio and TV stations use mobile satellite and place them into
dishes as ground stations. This allows signals to be
sent up to a communication satellite, which then
orbit according to
beams the signal around the world or bounces it what kind of data
to another satellite. they are collecting.

Communication
satellites, or
comsats, allow us
to use cell phones
and send emails
and faxes across the People with satellite TV downlink
globe. They allow the satellite signal directly into their
homes.
us to broadcast
television and radio programs around the world,
and make phone calls while flying in an airplane!

The first live broadcast across the Atlantic

Ocean was made in 1962 by an experimental
satellite called Telstar. Before then, news had to
travel by telegraph, telephone, or cables. Now,
we can communicate with the most remote places
by bouncing a signal across multiple satellites.
Satellites can show the extent of a major disaster area.

14 Satellites • Level Z 11
 Strategic Defense Initiative
(SDI or STAR WARS)
In 1983, then-U.S. President Ronald Regan
announced research into the development of a space-
based defense system. A network of defense satellites
would detect enemy missiles in time for the missiles to
be destroyed while they were in the air. The system
was never completed.
Environmental satellites monitor the impact from deforestation or
sediment clogging rivers and harbors.
The advanced technology developed for use
Earth observational satellites collect in spysats has been expanded for other uses.
information on temperature, oceans, wildfires, Industries use imaging satellites to find oil or
animals, and even volcanoes! Sometimes, these mineral sites. Law enforcement uses them to
satellites are called environmental satellites. find where illegal drugs are grown. Satellites
They record changes in the Earth’s surface and have even traced pollution back to the polluters.
atmosphere, including pollution and destruction Research satellites have helped us map Earth in
of forests caused by human activity. They use greater detail than we could ever do before.
powerful cameras to take pictures using light One satellite
rays, X-rays, and radio waves. Environmentalists, program tracks
farmers, miners, and fishermen find this meteors that get too
information increasingly valuable. close to Earth. It also
Other satellites such as military, or spy, monitors ongoing
satellites have taken pictures of Earth since tests of ways to divert
1960. Officially named reconnaissance satellites, or destroy threatening
or spysats, they spy on other nations. Spysats meteors before they
relay coded messages, monitor nuclear weapons, can collide with Earth.
observe enemy armies, and can eavesdrop on Image of New York City,
many forms of electronic communication. taken from a research satellite

12 Satellites • Level Z 13