How do satellites always point toward earth

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Based on what I’ve learned from games like KSP and Spaceflight Simulator, anything in orbit will “roll” relative to the earth (ex if something is pointed away from
Earth at one point in orbit at the opposite point of its orbit it will point directly at Earth). Obviously a satellite would need to be always pointing toward earth, so how would it? I’ve also noticed this with the ISS when I watched a timelapse that was taken from the cupola.

In: Engineering

4 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

They just spin around their axis with the same period as their orbit. Since their is very little to no atmosphere to slow them down a tiny initial kick is enough to get them spinning for a while.

[edit] They spin themselves using RCS or gyros.

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