Satellite constellation
위성 군집
Hundreds or thousands of satellites flown as one group, working together like a single system.
Overview
A satellite in a low orbit passes by quickly and cannot stay over one place for long. So many satellites are placed at regular spacing, and when one passes by, the next one takes over. The satellites sometimes pass data to each other with lasers. A group arranged this way is a satellite constellation.
Satellite internet is the best-known example, and Earth observation satellites that photograph the planet often are also flown as constellations. A key feature is that identical satellites are built like products on a factory line to bring the cost down. As satellites grow by thousands, worries have grown too: that they disturb stargazing and raise the risk of collisions.
An everyday example
Like runners passing the baton in a relay, the satellite passing overhead hands your connection to the next one. The more runners there are, the fewer gaps there are.
Why it matters
When people talk about the size of a satellite business, they often say how many satellites its constellation has. The race between countries to have their own satellite networks, and the fight over orbital slots, come from here.
Also calledmega-constellation, satellite network