2007-10-25 02:05:33 · 4 answers · asked by sureshbabusintst 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The satellite gets its initial speed from a rocket, and after that it just coasts along. Since there is almost no air in space, it can keep going for a very long time without slowing down.
The satellite is kept up because of centrifugal force. If you've ever swung a bucket of water over your head without spilling, you know how that works. The satellite is going so fast that the centrifugal force of its motion exactly balances the force of gravity.
2007-10-25 05:32:45 · answer #1 · answered by Keith P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They revolve by the speed they get from tremendous power of the rockets that launch them. After that they just coast without any power, never slowing down because there is no friction in the vacuum of space. Kind of like a hockey puck sliding on the ice, except that the puck on ice still has a little friction and so would slow down eventually, if the ice rink were a mile long, where in space there is no friction at all and a moving object just keeps on going and going forever. And gravity curves the path into an orbit.
2007-10-25 03:09:37 · answer #2 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Compressed gas is squirted out through little nozzles. That's what makes them revolve or "spin" in space. The other answers below talk about the satellite revolving about the earth, or "orbiting" as we call it.
2007-10-25 02:11:21 · answer #3 · answered by monsewer icks 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A satellite is actually falling around the earth. It's falling a set distance from the earth and is held in place by gravity. Without gravity it would just fly off into space.
2007-10-25 02:24:22 · answer #4 · answered by ztim 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋