What are the Different Types of Satellites?
Satellites are a manmade construction which are launched into orbiting patterns in space. Since the 1960s, more than 26,000 satellites have been launched, for both military and civilian purposes. There are many different types of satellites in the sky, and they have a variety of uses, from transmissions to data gathering. When Sputnik I, the first satellite, was launched in 1957, it carried a small radio transmitter onboard. This made it the first communications satellite, a common variety. These types of satellite were originally used for long-distance telephone transmissions, but later were adapted to carry satellite TV signals as well as serve many military purposes. Types of satellites used for communications often use a geostationary orbit, meaning that they rotate around the equator once per day, in effect turning with the Earth. Astronomic satellites, or Space observatories, are used for gathering data from outer space. One of the most famous is the Hubble Telescope, launched by
