Satellite
인공위성
An object people launch to circle the Earth. It handles communication, observation and navigation.
Overview
The Moon is a natural satellite of the Earth. A satellite in this sense is one that people built. The first was Sputnik 1, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957. A rocket carries it up, and once it reaches the right speed, it does not fall down. It keeps circling the Earth.
Satellites are grouped by what they do. Communication satellites connect phone calls and the internet. Observation satellites watch the land and the weather. Navigation satellites (such as GPS) tell you where you are. A satellite reaches the end of its life when its fuel runs out or its parts wear out. What to do with satellites that have reached the end of their lives has become a new problem.
An everyday example
The directions in your map app, the cloud pictures in a weather forecast, and a live match broadcast from another country all travel through satellites.
Why it matters
Most of the cargo that rockets carry into space is satellites. As launches got cheaper, the number of satellites sent up grew fast, and space is getting crowded as a result.
Also calledartificial satellite