It's got to do with Communication Satellites
2006-09-20 07:57:51 · 4 answers · asked by william p 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
About a quarter of a second. Radio waves travel at the speed of light, 186,000 miles a second. It is about 22,000 up to a geostationary satellite and another 22,000 back down, so 44,000 miles, or about 44,000/186,000 of a second to make the up and down trip.
2006-09-20 08:01:33 · answer #1 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If this is a geosynchronous satellite, it is in orbit at 36000 km altitude. The Earth radius is about 6360 km. Establish a triangle going from London to a point above the equator and 36000 km up, and then down to Cape town. Divide that length by the speed of light (that is assuming the satellite internal electronics does not add delay).
2006-09-20 08:04:02 · answer #2 · answered by Vincent G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on where the satellite is. If it is in geosynchronous orbit, then (23,000+23,000)/186,000 seconds. Some communication is done by low orbit satellites, for which the time would be much smaller.
2006-09-20 08:05:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A fraction of a second.
2006-09-20 08:05:43 · answer #4 · answered by backinbowl 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋