What is Satellite (artificial)?
[[File:Clarke Belt.jpg|thumb|right|'''Satellite''' in orbit|201x201px]] A '''satellite''' is an object that [[orbit]]s another object. In [[Outer space|space]], satellites may be natural, or artificial. The [[moon]] is a [[satellite (natural)|natural satellite]] that orbits the [[Earth]]. Most artificial satellites also orbit the Earth, but some orbit other planets, or the [[Sun]] or Moon. Satellites are used for many purposes. There are [[weather]] satellites, [[communications satellite]]s, [[Satellite navigation|navigation satellites]], [[reconnaissance]] satellites, [[astronomy]] satellites. The world's first artificial satellite, the [[Sputnik]] 1, was launched by the [[Soviet Union]] on October 4,1957. This surprised the world, and the United States quickly worked to launch their own satellite, starting the [[space race]]. Sputnik 2 was launched on November 3, 1957 and carried the first living passenger into orbit, a dog named [[Laika]]. The United States launched their first satellite, called ''Explorer 1'' on January 31, 1958.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dawn of Space Age|url=http://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/|publisher=NASA|accessdate=1 April 2013|archive-date=30 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430150731/https://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[United Kingdom|UK]] launched its first satellite in 1962.<ref name=BBCSolO>{{cite news|title=Solar Orbiter|work=BBC News |date=26 April 2012 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17743190|accessdate=1 April 2013}}</ref> [[File:Geosynchronous orbit.gif|thumb]] Since then, thousands of satellites have been launched into orbit around the Earth. Some satellites, notably [[space station]]s, have been launched in parts and assembled in orbit. == Satellites orbiting now == [[File:ConstellationGPS.gif|thumb|right|An animation showing the orbits of [[GPS]] satellites in medium Earth orbit.]] [[File:ESTCube-1 illustration.jpg|thumb|[[ESTCube-1]] was made for scientific investigation.]] Artificial satellites come