Satellites the invisible backbone
By : General Hesham Elsaid
Artificial satellites are the invisible backbone of modern civilization.
As we continue to rely on technology more and more, the role of satellites will only become more crucial and critically important for daily life on Earth.
Satellites have revolutionized the way we interact with the world around us, making our lives easier and more convenient than ever before.
It enables real-time communications; timing for banking and stock market transactions; navigation and positioning; and surface monitoring for weather predictions, including climate change impacts such as rising ocean temperatures or flooding, and imagery. The private sector uses space systems for commercial activities, data transfers, and providing services to customers such as satellite TV and internet access. Nations use space systems for national security, and militaries use space systems for secure communications and satellite imagery for reconnaissance and strategic planning.
How Satellites Work
Rockets place the satellite into a specific altitude and velocity so it stays in orbit due to the balance between Earth’s gravity pulling it inward and its forward motion wanting to go straight.
Power: Usually from solar panels and batteries store energy
Communication: Uses radio waves or laser links to send data to and from ground stations.
Control & navigation: Equipped with onboard computers, sensors, and thrusters to maintain
position and orientation (attitude control).
2. Types of Satellites
By Function
(1) Communication satellites (TV, internet, phone)
(2) Earth observation satellites (weather, mapping, disaster monitoring)
(3) Navigation satellites (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS)
(4) Scientific satellites (space telescopes, cosmic background studies)
(5) Military satellites (surveillance, reconnaissance, early warning)
(6) Space stations (habitable research platforms)
By Orbit
(1) LEO (Low Earth Orbit) – ~160–2,000 km; fast orbit (~90 min), good for imaging
(2) MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) – ~2,000–35,786 km; navigation systems like GPS
(3) GEO (Geostationary Orbit) – ~35,786 km; stays fixed above one point on Earth, ideal for comms and weather
(4) Polar Orbit – passes over poles, covers entire Earth in time
(5) Sun-synchronous Orbit – special polar orbit passing same spot at same local solar time for consistent lighting
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