Satellites are

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

BPSC AE Paper 3 (General Studies) 10 Nov 2022 Official Paper

Answer 1

Concept:

Definition of Satellites:- Satellites are objects that orbit around a larger body in space. - They can be natural (like moons) or artificial/man-made.
Artificial Satellites:- Man-made satellites are launched into space using rockets. - They serve various purposes such as communication, weather monitoring, navigation, scientific research, and military applications.
Geostationary and Other Orbits:- Some satellites are in geostationary orbits, meaning they orbit the Earth at the same rate that the Earth rotates, staying over the same spot on the equator.
Free-Fall Under Gravity:- All satellites, whether natural or artificial, are in free-fall towards the Earth, but because of their high tangential velocity, they keep missing it, thus continuing their orbit.

Explanation:

Satellites, including both natural ones (like the Moon) and man-made ones, stay in orbit around planets due to the balance between their velocity and the gravitational pull of the planet.
Artificial satellites are launched using rockets and enter a state of continuous free-fall around the Earth. This free-fall, combined with their forward motion, creates a stable orbit.
This is a fundamental aspect of orbital mechanics.
Man-made satellites are indeed objects placed into orbit by humans, and while many are geostationary, not all of them are.
They are subject to the laws of physics, including gravity, and thus are always in a state of free-fall towards Earth.

Conclusion:

The correct answer is Free-falling objects under gravity