Ioonos

Hello Earth? This is Spot…

From the moment of its launch a satellite collects a considerable number of parameters connected with its time spent orbiting Earth. Using many sensors it checks its vital organs on the “platform”, its direction and positioning in relation to Earth, its electricity supply produced by its solar panels. All these measurements are called “telemetry”. Using an antenna pointed towards the control centre that is located on earth, the satellite sends us all its information.

Hello Spot? This is Earth…

The other way, even though many of the satellite’s commands are automated, the control centre sends it orders to monitor or change its orbit, to fix problems at long-distance, to change its mission (particularly when the usage is highly reactive, in a military application for example, which is the case with European cooperation satellite “Helios”). All this communication from Earth to the satellite is called “remote control”.

There’s no one at the number you requested

However, a satellite doesn’t last forever and communications end when it runs out of fuel to control its orbit. A communications satellite, for example, has on average a life of 10 to 15 years. The last instructions from Earth are to take the satellite out of its orbit by reducing its speed, so that it burns up in the atmosphere.