Why don't satellites fall to Earth?

They move sideways fast enough to keep falling around Earth

They have engines on all the time

Satellite Technology Quiz – How Much Do You Really Know?

This satellite technology quiz covers Sputnik, how satellites stay in orbit, low Earth and geostationary orbits, GPS, weather and communications satellites, Earth observation and satellite constellations like Starlink. Ten questions test how much you really know about satellites.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

First
What was the first artificial satellite, launched in 1957?
Orbit
Why don't satellites fall to Earth?
Geo
How long does a geostationary satellite take to orbit Earth?
Clarke
Who proposed geostationary communication satellites in 1945?
GPS
About how many satellites does the full GPS constellation use?
TV
Which satellite relayed the first live transatlantic TV in 1962?
Weather
Which was the first successful weather satellite, in 1960?
Earth
Which program has imaged Earth's land since 1972?
Mega
Which company operates the largest satellite constellation?
Debris
What is a major problem caused by old satellites?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: What was the first artificial satellite, launched in 1957?
Answer: Sputnik 1
It sent radio beeps for 21 days.
Q2: Why don't satellites fall to Earth?
Answer: They move sideways fast enough to keep falling around Earth
This is orbital motion.
Q3: How long does a geostationary satellite take to orbit Earth?
Answer: 24 hours
It appears fixed in the sky.
Q4: Who proposed geostationary communication satellites in 1945?
Answer: Arthur C. Clarke
The orbit is sometimes called the Clarke orbit.
Q5: About how many satellites does the full GPS constellation use?
Answer: About 31
At least 24 are needed for full coverage.
Q6: Which satellite relayed the first live transatlantic TV in 1962?
Answer: Telstar
It inspired a hit song.
Q7: Which was the first successful weather satellite, in 1960?
Answer: TIROS-1
It sent cloud images.
Q8: Which program has imaged Earth's land since 1972?
Answer: Landsat
It tracks forests, cities and farms.
Q9: Which company operates the largest satellite constellation?
Answer: SpaceX (Starlink)
It has thousands of satellites.
Q10: What is a major problem caused by old satellites?
Answer: Space debris
Collisions can create more fragments.

Satellite Technology Quiz – Machines in Orbit

Satellites are objects that orbit Earth. The Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957, starting the space age. Today thousands of satellites circle the planet.

Satellites serve many purposes. Communications satellites carry phone, TV and internet signals, GPS satellites help us navigate, weather satellites track storms and Earth observation satellites monitor forests, ice, crops and cities.

Different orbits suit different jobs. Low Earth orbit is close and fast, while geostationary satellites stay over one spot 36,000 kilometers up. Growing numbers of satellites raise concerns about space debris and night-sky brightness.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz is for students exploring satellite technology.

What the first satellite was
Why satellites stay up
What geostationary means
How GPS works
Why debris is a problem

Did You Know?

Explorer 1 found the Van Allen belts.
CubeSats can be the size of a shoebox.
Some satellites last over 15 years.
Galileo is Europe's navigation system.
Old satellites move to graveyard orbits.