why satellites always have elliptical orbit?

Answer 1

Kepler's 1st law of planetary motion

Answer 2

Elliptical Orbit Satellite

Answer 3

There is a lot of room around the earth, so it is unlikely that a satellite would hit another satellite in orbit. Also, since many satellites are geosynchronous, this means that they will stay in the same position above the earth; also decreasing the chances of satellites hitting each other. The orbit of the satellite is decided by physics and mathematics, to determine the point above the earth where the satellite will be geosynchronous. As to your last question, satellites don't avoid space debris, as far as I know. I believe that was a problem with the Hubble Telescope in the past.

Answer 4

A good question madame Curie.

You can expand your question and ask, why do all heavenly bodies, including man made satellites, have elliptical orbits? - The perfectly circular orbits of geostationary satellites are forced, not natural -

The only explanation I can offer is that everything in the sky is always attracted by more than one mass. Hence the ellipse.

Answer 5

The word "satellite" might include the moon, other moons, planets or simply electro-mechanical devices.

During elliptical orbits, velocity is slower "on the outskirts" or apogee. As the orbit comes closer to the "orbited center", the velocity increases to "maintain momentum of equilibrium" or "moment".

There may be occasion for scientists to seek the closest distance at certain earthly locations (epogee). Yet to accomplish this and still keep certain orbital planes, the satellite may have to travel more slowly, at higher distances, at less wanted times.

Interestingly, the Earth itself deviates by roughly 750,000 miles (more than a million kilometers) between its apogee and epogee.

Answer 6

Satellites revolve around planets which themselves have an elliptical orbit around their Stars
Therefore the satellites follow the Planets way of revolution around the Sun

Answer 7

Hey Manny L - way cool web site!!! And all those thousands of man-made satellites are going in elliptical orbits, just like Kepler observed with natural satellites (like the planets orbiting the sun), and like Newton's laws predict they must.

Answer 8

There are thousands of satellites going in every direction, altitude and orbit you can think of.

Check this site from NASA/JPL is called J Track and it is a real time 3D image of every satellite in orbit right now. It's really cool!

http://science.nasa.gov/Realtime/JTrack/3D/JTrack3D.html

When the window opens give it some time. once you see the earth, pull in the lower right corner of the window to expand. You can move the Earth around, zoom in and out and click on the different satellites to check what they are, altitude, speed and orbital path.

enjoy!

Post a reply and tell me if you can figure out which are the geostationary satellites. Could you find the Hubble Space Telescope?

Answer 9

By definition they have to...even a perfectly circular orbit is an ellipse with 0 eccentricity. Be that as it may, the geosynchronous satellites are tweaked into having a very nearly circular orbit, but pertubrations caused by gravity of the sun and moon move them out of circular orbits, and the tweaking must begin anew. A circular orbit (truly circular) is expensive in fuel to attain and to maintain.

Answer 10

earth is not perfect circle in shape but it is elliptical , satellites keep constant distance from the earth surface and due to this satellites always have elliptical orbit.

Answer 11

I assumed that you were right. Could elliptical orbit be the most stable orbit? Prove it?